mm 


AP 


EXCHANGE 


H.  P.  MOVER. 
TCngler,  Company  E,  Lebanon,  Pa. 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


Seventeenth  Regiment 

Pennsylvania  Volunteer 
Cavalry 


OR 


ONE  HUNDRED  AND  SIXTY-SECOND  IN  THE  LINE 

OF  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEER 

REGIMENTS 

War  to  Suppress  the  Rebellion,  1861-1865 


Compiled  from 

Records  of  the  Rebellion,  Official  Reports,  Recollections,  Remi 
niscences,  Incidents,  Diaries  and  Company  Rosters 


WITH   AN   APPENDIX 

BY 

H.  P.  MOVER 

Formerly  Bugler  Co.  E,  17th  Regt.,  Pa.  Vol.  Cavalry 


SOWERS  PRINTING  COMPANY 
LEBANON,  PA. 


239273 


REGIMENTAL  MONUMENT — GETTYSBURG,  PA. 


WAR 
REBEL  JON 


3n  iWemorp  of  tfje  Jllen 

tofco  Compotfefc  tfje  ^ebenteentfj  Eegiment 

$enns#lbama  Volunteer  Catmlrp 

who  so  patriotically  responded  to  the  call  of  Abraham 
Lincoln,  President  of  the  United  States  of  America,  for 
300,000  volunteers  to  suppress  the  most  gigantic  rebellion 
the  world  had  ever  known,  and  who  so  heroically  and 
gallantly  defended  the  nation's  capital  and  flag,  this 

volume  is  respectfully  dedicated. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


COMMANDERS 


CORPS. 

Major  General P.  H.  SHERIDAN. 

Major  General ALFRED  PLEASONTON. 

Major  General GEORGE  STONEMAN. 

Major  General WESLEY  MERRITT. 

DIVISION. 

Brevet  Major  General ALFRED  T.  A.  TORBERT. 

Brevet  Major  General. JOHN  BUFORD. 

Brevet  Major  General WESLEY  MERRITT. 

Brigadier  General THOMAS  C.  DEVIN. 

BRIGADE. 

Brigadier  General JOHN  BUFORD. 

Brigadier  General THOMAS  C.  DEVIN. 

Brevet  Brigadier  General CHARLES  L.  FITZHUGH. 

Colonel Louis  P.  DI-CESNOLA. 

REGIMENT. 

Colonel JOSIAH  H.  KELLOGG. 

Colonel COE  DURLAND. 

Brevet  Colonel J.  Q.  ANDERSON. 

Brevet  Lieutenant  Colonel   .        ,  .WILLIAM  THOMPSON. 


PREFACE 

IMMEDIATELY  after  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Penn- 
-*•  sylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  was  mustered  out  of  the  ser 
vice,  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Theodore  W.  Bean,  of  the 
regiment,  issued  "The  Roll  of  Honor  of  the  Seventeenth 
R.egiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,"  which  was  to 
have  been  followed  by  a  more  comprehensive  history.  After 
waiting  a  reasonable  time  and  the  history  not  materializing, 
the  author  called  on  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Theodore 
W.  Bean,  and  was  informed  that,  because  the  men  who  had 
composed  the  regiment  were  widely  scattered,  and  because 
of  pressing  professional  duties,  the  contemplated  history, 
for  the  time  being  at  least,  was  abandoned ;  and  before  the 
project  was  again  taken  up,  Colonel  Bean  had  died. 

In  compliance  with  an  Act  of  the  General  Assembly,  ap 
proved  June  15,  1887,  to  provide  for  the  erection  of  monu 
ments  to  mark  the  position  of  Pennsylvania  commands  in 
the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry  Association  was  organized.  And  while 
the  chief  object  of  the  association  was  to  aid  the  Commis 
sion  in  locating,  designing  and  erecting  such  a  monument  as 
the  regiment  was  entitled  to  under  the  act,  the  subject  of  a 
regimental  history  was  freely  discussed,  and  it  was  confi 
dently  hoped  that  its  compilation  could  be  accomplished  at 
the  same  time.  But  the  design  and  material  selected  by  the 
properly  constituted  committee  for  the  monument  exhaust 
ed  the  available  funds ;  and,  because  the  principal  consider 
ation  then  was  the  erection  of  the  monument,  the  regimental 
history  project,  for  the  time  being,  was  again  abandoned. 

By  chance,  while  the  author  was  visiting  in  the  city  of 
Washington,  D.  C,  he  met  Lieutenant  James  A.  Clark,  who 
was  at  one  time  the  adjutant  of  the  regiment.  We  both 
deplored  the  fact  that  the  regiment  was  without  a  regimen 
tal  history.  Lieutenant  James  A.  Clark  at  once  volunteered 
to  edit  the  compilation  of  the  history  provided  sufficient 
data  could  be  secured  to  warrant  its  publication.  But,  un- 

7 


PREFACE 

fortunately,  Lieutenant  Clark,  like  Brevet  Lieutenant-colo 
nel  Bean,  died  before  the  work  got  under  way,  and  again 
the  project  was  defeated. 

While  these  disappointments  had  a  tendency  to  dampen 
the  ardor  of  even  the  most  enthusiastic  advocates  of  the 
history,  there  was  always  a  sufficient  number  of  the  mem 
bers  left  who  kept  the  project  alive  and  advocated  its  con 
summation  whenever  opportunities  presented  themselves. 
And  so,  at  a  regimental  reunion  held  at  Gettysburg,  Sep 
tember  12,  1909,  the  subject  of  a  regimental  history  was 
again  discussed,  and  the  following  committee  on  regimental 
history  was  appointed,  viz :  Brigadier  General  E.  E.  Wood, 
Brevet  Major  J.  W.  DeWitt,  Captain  I.  N.  Grubb,  Lieu 
tenant  H.  G.  Bonebrake,  Sergeants  J.  A.  Loose,  Joseph  E. 
McCabe  and  Joseph  C.  Jones.  H.  P.  Moyer  was  selected 
historian.  The  committee  was  authorized  and  instructed  to 
publish  a  history,  entitled  "The  History  of  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry." 

And  now,  after  a  lapse  of  forty-five  years  and  more,  hav 
ing  served  as  a  company  bugler  and  knowing  but  little  of 
what  occurred  outside  of  the  author's  company  and  regi 
ment,  and  with  nothing  but  a  treacherous  memory  and  a  few 
scattered  records,  the  author  is  painfully  conscious  of  the 
many  defects  and  errors  which  may  be  the  natural  conse 
quences  of  hasty  preparation.  Several  diaries  of  members 
of  the  regiment  were  resurrected,  however,  and  exhaustive 
comparisons  made  with  official  records;  and,  while  these 
did  not  always  agree  in  minor  details,  the  author  feels  jus 
tified  in  expressing  the  opinion  that  they  are  sufficiently 
accurate  and  comprehensive  to  convey  a  reasonably  authen 
tic  history  of  the  valor  and  devotion  to  country  and  flag 
of  the  gallant  men  who  composed  the  regiment.  The  author 
aims  to  tell  the  story  of  the  services  of  the  regiment  from 
the  date  of  its  muster,  September  i,  1862,  until  the  date  of 
its  muster  out,  June  16,  1865. 

He  aims  to  tell  of  its  marches,  skirmishes,  battles,  inci 
dents  and  reminiscences,  leaving,  however,  abundant  oppor 
tunity  for  fuller  and  'more  comprehensive  histories  or  per 
sonal  recollections  to  fill  in  missing  links.  The  work  has 

8 


PREFACE 

been,  by  no  means,  an  easy  task.  It  involved  most  arduous 
research  of  voluminous  official  reports  and  correspondence; 
but  it  has  been  accomplished  with  a  degree  of  completeness 
and  accuracy  which  was  hardly  expected  in  the  beginning. 
A  friend  expressed  surprise  that  the  author  should  be  able 
to  find  the  time  necessary  to  perform  so  large  an  amount  of 
labor  in  addition  to  the  demands  of  his  already  overtaxed 
official  duties.  Deeply  interested  in  the  subject,  the  author 
has  given  close  attention  to  the  presentation  of  facts  sup 
ported  by  personal  experience  rather  than  an  attempted  dis 
play  of  rhetoric. 

Although  histories  of  the  war  and  its  campaigns  have 
been  written  by  thousands,  yet  the  history  of  the  Rebellion 
can  never  be  transmitted  fully  to  future  generations.  No 
event  has  ever  occurred  in  the  history  of  the  world  of 
greater  magnitude  than  the  War  of  the  Rebellion, — a  con 
flict  which  has  cost  the  United  States  of  America  over  half 
a  million  lives  and  ten  billion  dollars,  including  pensions  and 
war  claims.  This  is  an  amount  so  fabulous  that  we  can 
hardly  grasp  it.  Possibly,  a  more  striking  way  to  put  it 
would  be  to  say,  ten  thousand  million  dollars.  This  amount, 
according  to  the  census  of  the  United  States  of  1910,  would 
pay  a  dividend  of  over  $100.00  to  every  man,  woman  and 
child  of  the  United  States.  The  physical  wrecks,  blasted 
hopes,  ruined  homes  and  other  distresses  that  might  be  men 
tioned  make  up  another  item  that  cannot  be  tabulated  or 
described;  and,  even  if  it  could  be  described,  the  account 
would  be  regarded  in  the  light  of  braggadocio  rather  than 
truthful  statement.  It  was  an  enormous  price  that  was  paid 
to  preserve  our  government  and  keep  every  star  on  the 
American  flag.  But  who  will  say  that  we  paid  too  much? 
The  conditions  that  obtained  at  that  time  made  it  necessary. 

And  I  firmly  believe  that,  if  a  similar  emergency  would 
arise  again,  our  present  and  future  posterity  would  make 
the  same  and  even  greater  sacrifices  to  maintain  and  per 
petuate  the  best  government  the  world  has  ever  known.  In 
the  compilation  of  this  history  it  would  hardly  be  possible 
to  give  the  names  of  the  many  comrades  of  the  regiment 
who  have  rendered  valuable  assistance  and  encouragement 

9 


PREFACE 

by  contributing  articles,  papers,  documents,  and  relating  ex 
periences  which  have  been  most  helpful.  Without  such  aid 
this  work  would  have  been  devoid  of  its  true  purpose.  To 
all  such  the  author  is  under  obligations,  and  takes  this  means 
of  expressing  warmest  thanks.  With  the  hope  that  these 
pages  will  not  only  be  read  with  interest  by  the  still  surviv 
ing  Veterans  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry,  but  that  their  children  may  also  read 
them  and  know,  for  all  time  to  come,  what  regiment  their 
fathers  served  in  and  the  part  they  took  in  the  suppression 
of  the  Rebellion. 

H.  P.  MOYER. 
Lebanon,  Pa.,  April  I,  1911. 


10 


CONTENTS 


PAGE 

Appointment  of  History  Committee    22 

Colonel  J.  Q.  Anderson  ......: 81 

A  Few  Incidents   307 

Theodore  W.   Bean    112 

Buglers  and  Bugle  Calls   274" 

Extracts  from  Diary  of  Lieutenant  H.  G.  Bonebrake   135 

Henry  G.  Bonebrake   . . . : 155 

Commanders    5 

Lieutenant  James  Albert  Clark  203 

Capture   of    Major   Gilmor    and    Captain    Stump    of    Guerrilla 

Fame    223 

Complimentary  Notices  of  the  Regiment  367 

Dedication    3 

Dedication  of  the  Monument   378 

Colonel  Coe  Durland    90 

Henry  M.  Donehoo   173 

Extracts  from  Annals  of  the  War  208 

George  W.  Ferree   377 

Isaac  N.  Grubb  180 

Gordonsville  Expedition   103 

General  P.  H.  Sheridan's  Famous  Ride  115 

Grant's  Final  Campaign   310 

How  Sergeant  J.  E.  McCabe  Became  One  of  General  Sheri 
dan's  Scouts    219 

Introduction   15 

Itinerary  of  the  Regiment  322 

Joseph  C.  Jones  320 

Kilpatrick's  Richmond  Raid   229 

Josiah  H.  Kellogg 71 

List  of  Illustrations  13 

Experience  of  G.  Frank  Lidy   292 

List  of  Engagements  in  which  the  Regiment  Participated 370 

Service  Record  of  Private  H.  F.  Long   282 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Organization  and  Early  History  of  the  Regiment   25 

Preface   7 

Jacob  Potter  408 

President's    Proclamation    for   300,000  Volunteers    20 

Reminiscences  of  Uriah  R.  Reinhold   127 

Resolutions  Authorizing  Publication  of  History  24 

Lieutenant  John   P.   Ross    205 

Recruits  of  the  Regiment 287 

Regimental  Band  303 

Review  of  the  Regiment   390 

Regimental  Roster   409 

Regimental  Reunions   449 

Report   of   History   Committee    23 

Sheridan's  Richmond  Raid   73 

Sheridan's    Trevilian    Raid    84 

Sheridan's  James  River  Raid  294 

Experience  of  Private  A.   Schockey   300 

The  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  in  the  Gettysburg-  Cam 
paign    55 

Transfer  of  the  Regiment  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to 

the  Army  of  the   Shenandoah    94 

Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  William  Thompson  100 

The  Medical  Department  of  the  Regiment   133 

Through   Confederate  Prisons  and  Home  Again    157 

Two  of  General  Sheridan's  Scouts  176 

Captain  William  Tice    178 

The  Making  of  a  Volunteer  Cavalryman 181 

The  Chaplain  and  His  Work    263 

The  Battle  of  Cold  Harbor   271 

Two  Personal  Recollections   289 

The  Monument 372 

Brigadier-general  Edward  E.  Wood   120 

Rev.  Henry  Wheeler,  D.D 261 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS 

H.  P.  Moyer  ist  Frontispiece 

Regimental  Monument 2d  Frontispiece 

Horse  Shoe   3d  Frontispiece 

OPPOSITE  PAGE 

J.  Q.  Anderson   81 

Theo.  W.  Bean   112 

H.   G.   Bonebrake    155 

James  A.  Clark 203 

J.  Wilson  DeWitt 133 

H.  M.  Donehoo   173 

Coe  Durland  91 

George  W.  Ferree   377 

Isaac  N.  Grubb 180 

Joseph  C.  Jones  320 

Josiah  H.   Kellogg    71 

G.  Frank  Lidy   292 

Jacob  A.  Loose   271 

Henry  F.  Long   282 

Joseph  E.  McCabe   219 

Medal   of   Honor    156 

Monument  and  Group  of  Veterans   372 

George  D.  Mullihan   223 

Jacob  Potter  408 

John  P.  Ross   205 

George  T.   Spettigue    289 

William  Thompson   100 

William   Tice    178 

Rev.  Henry  Wheeler,  D.D 261 

Edward  E.  Wood  ; 120 

John  H.  Zinn  157 

2 — 17th    R. 


INTRODUCTION 

THE  following  introduction  is  the  same  as  that  used  by 
Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Theodore  W.  Bean  in  his 
"Roll  of  Honor  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry." 

Among  the  regimental  organizations  of  Sheridan's 
Cavalry,  that  marched  up  Pennsylvania  Avenue,  May  23, 
1865,  in  serried  mass,  to  pass,  perhaps  for  the  last  time, 
before  the  distinguished  reviewing  officers  that  represented 
our  great  Republic,  none  presented  a  more  imposing  ap 
pearance  than  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  or 
One  Hundred  and  Sixty-second  of  the  Line  of  Pennsylvania 
Volunteers.  No  regiment  that  passed  in  that  memorable 
column,  before  the  admiring  eyes  of  a  grateful  people,  has 
a  nobler  record  to  carry  with  them  home  to  the  patriotic 
Executive,  under  whose  auspices  it  was  organized  and  con 
stantly  watched  over  while  in  the  field,  and  to  the  loved 
ones  who  patiently  awaited  its  return,  that  they  might  wel 
come  the  veteran  patriots  to  the  homes  they  left  in  the 
darkest  hour  of  our  country's  peril.  They  came  into  the 
service  of  their  country  in  response  to  the  call  of  July  I, 
1862,  for  three  years'  volunteers;  they  came  to  fill  the 
depleted  ranks  resulting  from  the  unfortunate  Peninsular 
campaign — and  nobly  they  have  done  it. 

Without  the  popular  and  fascinating  encouragement  of 
excessive  local  and  national  bounties,  they  left  their  peace 
ful  and  happy  homes  among  the  hills  and  valleys  of  their 
mother  State,  and  ofTered  themselves  a  living  sacrifice  upon 
the  shrine  of  a  loved  and  honored  Republic.  Aged  fathers 
and  pious  mothers  bade  farewell  to  their  noblest  sons. 
Wives  emulated  the  heroic  example  of  their  patriotic  moth 
ers  during  the  Revolution  of  '76,  and  locked  hands  with 
cherished  sisters  and  lovely  maidens,  in  waving  a  tearful 
farewell — which,  alas !  in  many  instances,  was  the  last  that 
was  to  be  given  on  earth — as  they  left  each  city,  town,  and 
village,  to  join  their  destiny  with  the  grand  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  And,  too,  we  cannot  forget  that  it  was  at  a 

15 


INTRODUCTION 

period  in  the  progress  of  this  war  when  "cavalry"  was  at 
a  fearful  discount — when  it  was  said  of  them,  that  they 
were  the  "contempt  of  the  enemy  and  the  terror  of  their 
friends."  Every  veteran  in  the  regiment  can  doubtless  re 
call  the  trifling  importance  attached  to  that  arm  of  the 
service  during  our  first  campaign  in  "Muddy  Stafford."  To 
be  driven  in  was  to  be  branded  as  cowards ;  to  be  captured 
was  equivalent  to  dismissal;  and  to  be  killed  was  a  joke. 
The  uselessness,  comparatively,  of  the  cavalry  at  that  period, 
is  not  to  be  denied;  but  it  arose  chiefly  from  a  most  la 
mentable  want  of  skill  and  judgment  in  using  it — fighting  it 
in  small  detachments,  which  the  enemy  could  invariably 
overcome  by  the  most  ordinary  combinations.  The  "cavalry 
fight"  at  Kelley's  Ford,  on  the  i/th  of  March,  1863,  sug 
gested,  among  other  reasons,  the  necessity  of  massing  it  in 
division  and  corps  organizations,  and  putting  in  command 
of  it  live  generals.  And  from  that  time  to  the  close  of 
the  war,  they  have  won  for  that  arm  of  the  service  an  im 
perishable  renown. 

This  regiment  was  brigaded  in  the  month  of  January, 
1863,  m  the  Second  Brigade  of  the  First  Cavalry  Division 
(Army  of  the  Potomac),  commanded  then  by  Colonel,  now 
Brevet  Major-general,  Thomas  C.  Devin,  and  has  never 
been  transferred  during  its  term  of  three  years.  With  this 
brigade  it  has  been  identified  with  all  the  engagements  dur 
ing  the  campaigns  of  1863,  1864,  and  1865.  Inscribed  upon 
its  banners  are  the  distinguishing  battles  of  the  war ;  its  gall 
ant  dead  lay  buried  upon  every  field,  from  the  Rappahannock 
to  the  James,  from  Gettysburg  to  Appomattox  Court  House; 
its  mutilated  heroes  have  carried  sorrow  and  solicitude  to  a 
thousand  homes,  and  a  score  of  its  martyrs  have  been  con 
signed  to  unknown,  though  not  unhonored,  graves  by  the 
murderous  hand  of  imbruted  prison  masters,  who  sought, 
by  every  cowardly  and  fiendish  device  that  unparalleled  de 
pravity  and  wickedness  could  suggest,  to  destroy  our  la 
mented  comrades  when  powerless — whom  they  dared  not 
meet  on  a  fair  field,  but  to  be  vanquished. 

Soldiers,  you  have  triumphed!  Under  the  eye  of  your 
distinguished  commanders,  inspired  by  their  genius  and 

16 


INTRODUCTION 

valor,  you  have  marched  to  victory  over  a  hundred  battle 
fields.  True  to  your  colors,  true  to  the  glittering  steel  that 
has  so  often  carried  terror  and  dismay  to  the  once  haughty 
and  insolent,  but  now  fairly  vanquished,  enemy,  you  retire 
to  the  pursuits  of  civil  life  to  share  with  your  justly  hon 
ored  commanders,  as  you  did  the  perils  and  dangers  of  the 
battle,  the  joy  and  blessing  of  a  lasting  and  honorable  peace. 

You  can  recall  with  pride  your  experience  at  Chancel- 
lorsville.  Being  at  that  time  mere  novices  in  the  service, 
you  were  placed  in  the  most  trying  position,  when  the  right 
wing  of  the  army  was  routed,  and  its  ruin  imminent.  It  was 
your  well-dressed  lines,  your  glittering  steel  that  shone  like 
the  shimmering  river  upon  the  banks  of  which  the  fearful 
contest  was  raging  that  awful  night,  that  gave  earnest  proof 
of  your  zeal  and  devotion  to  the  cause  in  which  you  had 
enlisted,  and  support  and  inspiration  to  the  noble  battery 
that  checked  the  last  effort  of  Stonewall  Jackson  to  gain 
the  road  to  United  States  Ford,  with  the  loss  of  which  the 
reverse  would  have  been  irreparable. 

At  Beverly  Ford,  where  but  half-armed,  you  took  the 
line  of  battle  with  your  more  fortunate  comrades,  and 
shared  with  them  the  dangers,  as  you  did  the  achievements, 
of  the  day. 

At  Gettysburg  you  were  identified  with  the  noble  First 
Division,  led  by  the  lamented  Buford,  which  held  at  bay, 
from  early  dawn  until  midnight,  the  Rebel  hosts  that  were 
concentrating  upon  us,  and  saved  the  glorious  hills,  at  the 
partial  sacrifice  of  the  town,  on  which  was  established  finally 
and  forever  the  prowess  and  valor  of  the  great  American 
army. 

Where  the  tide  of  the  great  invasion  was  checked, 
where  our  homes  and  firesides  were  freed  from  the  scourge 
of  a  traitorous  foe,  where  the  safety  of  our  state  and 
national  capital  was  secured,  where  the  minions  of  secession 
met  the  most  sanguine  repulse  of  the  war,  and  the  life  of 
the  rebellion  rendered,  beyond  all  doubt,  only  a  question  of 
time,  in  the  pursuit  that  followed,  at  Williamsport,  Boons- 
borough,  Falling  Waters,  Brandy  Station  and  Racoon 
Ford,  you  were  ever  at  your  post  of  duty.  At  the 

17 


INTRODUCTION 

latter  place,  you  left  your  horses  under  shelter  and  rushed 
to  the  support  of  your  brother  comrades  in  arms  (Fourth 
New  York  Cavalry,)  who  were  gallantly  struggling  against 
fearful  odds,  and  under  a  murderous  fire  of  grape  and  can 
ister  from 'the  enemy,  saved  them  from  capture,  re-establish 
ed  the  line,  and  held  it  until  relieved  by  the  Twelfth  Army 
Corps ;  for  which  you  received,  as  you  deserved,  the  especial 
commendation  of  the  division  commander.  In  the  subse 
quent  movements  of  the  same  year  when  the  wily  Rebel  chief 
proposed  to  flank  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  thus  gain 
possession  of  the  capital,  history  will  accord  to  the  regiment 
an  honorable  association  with  the  commands  that  beat  back 
his  advance  at  Morton's  Ford,  Stephensburg,  Brandy  Sta 
tion,  and  Oak  Hill,  where  holding  the  extreme  left  of  the 
line,  you  skillfully  changed  front  as  a  distinctive  organiza 
tion  by  direction  of  your  immediate  commander,  anticipating 
a  well  intended  surprise,  and  repulsing  with  heavy  loss,  a 
reckless  charge  of  cavalry,  for  which  the  enemy  at  that 
time  were  notorious.  In  the  counter  movements  of  the 
campaign,  closing  with  the  battle  of  Bealton  Station  and 
Rickseyville,  the  occupation  of  the  line  on  the  Rapidan  and 
the  indecisive  engagement  at  Mine  Run,  the  regiment  was 
present  bearing  its  share  of  the  toils  and  sustaining  its  pro 
portion  of  losses,  and,  with  the  command,  went  into  winter 
quarters  on  the  battle-beaten  plains  of  Culpepper.  Resting 
until  the  following  spring,  on  the  4th  of  May,  1864,  you 
bade  farewell  to  the  rude  huts  and  houses  that  had  kindly 
sheltered  you  from  the  piercing  blasts  of  a  bitter  winter, 
and  with  the  brave  one  hundred  thousand  strong,  marched 
upon  the  boasted  line  of  strength  that  had  for  three  sue- 
cessive  campaigns  defied  and  baffled  the  best  efforts  of  the 
nation. 

The  bloody  battles  of  the  Wilderness  were  fought,  but 
not  without  you.  Among  the  forty  thousand  killed  and 
wounded  of  the  conflict,  you  were  mournfully  represented 
by  our  dead  and  suffering  wounded.  These  battles  fought, 
this  line  taken,  the  new  position  secured,  you  started  under 
the  eagle  eye  of  "Cavalry  Sheridan"  to  raid  the  enemy's  rear, 
cut  his  communications  and  threaten  his  capital.  Let  the 

18 


INTRODUCTION 

midnight  conflagration  at  Beaver  Dam  Station,  the  death 
of  Stuart,  the  rout  of  his  horsemen,  the  capture  of  the  fa 
mous  battery  of  "Baltimore  Lights,"  the  distant  tolling  bells 
that  betrayed  the  alarm  of  the  officials  and  fears  of  an  ex 
cited  populace  in  Richmond,  with  the  hazardous  night  picket 
of  the  Seventeenth,  placed  in  the  very  streets  of  the  town, 
tell  how  rigidly  the  orders  were  executed.  And,  too,  let 
not  the  veteran  forget  how  coolly  he  construed  the  exploding 
torpedoes  of  the  enemy  into  the  welcome  sounds  of  signal 
guns  from  our  supposed  approaching  friends,  but  which 
morning  betrayed  as  the  novel  means  adopted  by  the  enemy 
to  insure  our  destruction.  Then  followed  in  rapid  suc 
cession  the  engagements  of  Hanovertown,  Haws  Shop,  Cold 
Harbor,  and  Trevillian  Station,  and  our  subsequent  return 
to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  find  it  besieging  the  city  of 
Richmond. 

The  demonstration  of  the  Rebel  Early  on  the  upper  Po 
tomac,  caused  the  embarkation  of  the  command  with  other 
troops  for  the  defence  of  the  capital,  and  prosecution  of  the 
Valley  campaign  which  followed.  No  nobler  and  more 
chivalrous  deeds  will  be  recorded  in  the  history  of  this  war 
than  those  performed  by  the  cavalry  in  this  brilliant  cam 
paign,  which  ended  in  the  capture  and  dispersion  of  the 
entire  Rebel  army  under  Early.  This  desirable  result  open 
ed  the  way  and  suggested  the  opportunity  for  the  famous 
raid  to  James  River  Canal  via  the  White  House  to  the  lines 
in  front  of  Petersburg,  and,  without  doubt,  hastened  the 
operations  commencing  at  Five  Forks  and  closing  with  the 
surrender  of  Lee  and  his  army  at  Appomattox  Court  House- 

Soldiers,  through  these  fiery  and  bloody  campaigns  you 
have  ridden.  You  can  look  back  upon  them  with  pride  and 
honor  to  yourselves  and  families,  and  review  with  pleasure 
and  advantage  your  experience  and  associations  in  army 
life;  and  as  you  look  back  upon  a  lifetime  crowded  into 
the  space  of  a  few  years  by  the  force,  importance,  and 
magnitude  of  events,  your  pleasure  will  be  enhanced  to 
know  that  in  no  engagement,  during  no  campaign,  has  your 
regiment  betrayed  the  confidence  of  its  commanders  in  the 
field ;  or,  if  possible,  its  more  cherished  friends  at  home. 

19 


THE    PRESIDENT'S    PROCLAMATION    FOR 

THREE  HUNDRED  THOUSAND 

MORE  TROOPS. 

EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  WASHINGTON,  JULY  i,  1862. 

To  the  Governors  of  Maine,  New  York,  New  Hampshire,  Vermont, 
Connecticut,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Virginia, 
Michigan,  Tennessee,  Missouri,  Ohio,  Minnesota,  Illinois,  and 
Wisconsin,  and  the  President  of  the  Military  Board  of  Ken 
tucky: 

GENTLEMEN  : 

Fully  concurring  in  the  wisdom  of  the  views  expressed  to  me  in 
so  patriotic  a  manner  by  you  in  the  communication  of  the  28th  day 
of  June,  I  have  decided  to  call  into  the  service  an  additional  force 
of  300,000  men.  I  suggest  and  recommend  that  the  troops  should 

be  chiefly  of  infantry.    The  quota  of  your  State  would  be 

men.  I  trust  that  they  may  be  enrolled  without  delay,  so  as  to 
bring  this  unnecessary  and  injurious  civil  war  to  a  speedy  and  satis 
factory  conclusion.  An  order  fixing  the  quota  of  the  respective 
States  will  be  issued  by  the  War  Department  tomorrow. 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN. 

Under  the  above  call  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  was  asked 
to  furnish  45,321  men.  On  July  4,  1862,  the  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania,  Andrew  G.  Curtin,  sent  the  following  message 
to  the  President  which  was  received  at  9  a.  m.  of  the  same 
day,  viz: 

HARRISBURG,  JULY  4,  1862. 
Abraham  Lincoln,  President: 

Your  dispatch  received.  Everything  possible  will  be  done  in  this 
State  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  Government  for  additional  troops 
in  the  present  emergency,  and  with  the  utmost  promptness.  We 
will  require  at  least  30,000  men  to  supply  the  losses  of  our  regiments 
now  in  the  field.  We  are  not  informed  as  to  the  number  of  new 
regiments  you  will  ask  from  this  State.  No  doubt  we  will  get  the 
information  from  the  Secretary  of  War,  and  of  enlistments  and 
inducements  by  bounties,  advances  of  pay,  etc.  I  suggest  that  if  the 
enlistments  were  made  for  a  shorter  time,  say  six  months,  it  would 
greatly  increase  our  numbers  and  hasten  the  formation  of  regi 
ments.  Have  the  kindness  to  mention  the  subject  to  Mr.  Stanton, 
and  I  will  not  telegraph  him. 

A.  G.  CURTIN. 
20 


PRESIDENT'S  PROCLAMATION 

Recruiting  stations  were  at  once  established  in  the  most 
prominent  centers  of  the  State  and,  during  the  following 
three  months,  30,891  men  were  mustered  into  the  service 
from  the  State  of  Pennsylvania.  Among  the  number  who 
so  patriotically  responded  to  this  call  were  the  1,200  men 
who  composed  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry,  which  won  the  proud  distinction  of  hav 
ing  been  one  of  the  best  regiments  furnished  by  the  great 
and  loyal  State  of  Pennsylvania. 


21 


APPOINTMENT  OF  HISTORY 
COMMITTEE 

At  the  reunion  held  at  Gettysburg,  September  17,  1909, 
of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cav 
alry  Association,  General  E.  E.  Wood,  Brevet  Major  J.  W. 
DeWitt,  Captain  Isaac  N.  Grubb,  Lieutenant  H.  G.  Bone- 
brake,  Sergeants  Joseph  E.  McCabe,  J.  A.  Loose 
and  Joseph  C.  Jones  were  appointed  a  committee  to  assist 
the  historian  in  the  compilation  of  a  regimental  history, 
entitled  "The  History  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Penn 
sylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,"  and  to  make  a  report  at  the 
next  annual  reunion. 


REPORT  OF  HISTORY  COMMITTEE 

To   the  Members  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsyl 
vania  Volunteer  Cavalry  Association: 

COMRADES  : 

We,  your  committee  appointed  to  assist  the  historian  in 
the  compilation  of  a  regimental  history  of  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  beg  leave  to 
report  that,  since  the  last  reunion,  some  three  hundred  pages 
of  manuscript  for  the  history  have  been  prepared.  The 
material  has  been  principally  gleaned  from  official  reports, 
diaries,  complimentary  notices  of  the  regiment,  contribu 
tions  from  members  of  the  regiment  of  incidents  that  have 
occurred  in  camp,  on  the  march  and  on  the  field  of  battle, 
and  extracts  from  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Theodore  W. 
Bean's  "Roll  of  Honor  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Penn 
sylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry."  Company  rosters  and  indi 
vidual  service  records  have  been  taken  from  the  history  of 
Samuel  P.  Bates,  Pennsylvania's  great  war  historian  and 
author  of  "Pennsylvania's  Volunteers — 1861-1865."  All  of 
which  have  been  carefully  verified  by  official  records,  and, 
we  believe,  are  sufficiently  reliable  to  convey  a  reasonably 
authentic  record  of  the  service  the  regiment  rendered  dur 
ing  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  All  of  which  is  respectfully 
submitted. 

E.  E.  WOOD, 

J.  W.  DEWlTT, 

I.  N.  GRUBB, 
J.  E.  McCABE, 

H.  G.  BONEBRAKE, 

J.  A.  LOOSE, 
J.  C.  JONES, 

Committee. 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  September  26,  1910. 


RESOLUTIONS    AUTHORIZING    PUBLICA 
TION  OF  THE  HISTORY 

Resolved,  That  the  manuscript  and  data  submitted  by  the 
regimental  historian,  Comrade  H.  P.  Moyer,  for  the  com 
pilation  of  a  regimental  history,  and  which  are  endorsed  by 
the  committee  appointed  to  examine  the  same,  be  and  the 
same  are  hereby  approved. 

Resolved,  That  the  officers  and  publication  committee  of 
the  association  are  hereby  instructed  and  directed  to  present 
the  same,  together  with  such  additions  and  amendments  as 
the  historian  or  publication  committee  may  deem  proper,  to 
the  Governor  of  the  Commonwealth,  the  Adjutant  General 
and  the  Auditor  General  of  the  State,  and  to  proceed  with 
the  publication  of  the  same. 


ORGANIZATION  AND  EARLY  HISTORY  OF 
THE  REGIMENT. 

WHEN  the  President  of  the  United  States,  on  July  i, 
1862,  issued  his  proclamation  for  300,000  volunteers, 
he  requested  the  Governor  of  Pennsylvania  to  furnish  three 
regiments  of  cavalry.  Up  to  this  time  the  War  Department 
seemed  to  have  had  little  use  for  the  cavalry,  and  to  regard 
them  as  of  little  value  except  for  escort  and  messenger  ser 
vice.  It  was  only  after  the  Rebel  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart 
had  demonstrated,  by  his  dashing  cavalry  raids,  what  could 
be  accomplished  by  large  bodies  of  mounted  troops,  that  the 
authorities  at  Washington  paid  much  attention  to  the  cav 
alry  branch  of  the  army.  To  compete  with  the  well  organ 
ized  Confederate  cavalry,  the  military  authorities  at  Wash 
ington  were  compelled  to  place  at  least  an  equal  number  of 
mounted  troops  in  the  field.  Hence  the  request  for  three 
regiments  of  cavalry. 

The  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cav 
alry,  was  the  second  of  the  three  regiments  that  responded 
to  this  call.  The  author  heard  ex-Governor  Andrew  G.  Cur- 
tin  say  at  a  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  the  regiment,  held 
at  the  Battlefield  Hotel,  Gettysburg,  that  he  had  been  very 
anxious  that  these  three  regiments  should  be  composed  of 
the  best  horsemen  that  the  State  could  produce.  Recruiting 
officers  were  instructed  to  confine  themselves  principally  to 
rural  districts.  Hence  a  large  majority  of  the  men  who 
composed  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry 
were  farmers,  lumbermen  and  mechanics,  and,  fortunately, 
most  of  them  were  good  horsemen.  The  counties  that  re 
sponded  to  this  call,  with  temporary  organizations,  which 
later  became  identified  with  the  regiment,  were:  Beaver, 
Susquehanna,  Lancaster,  Bradford,  Lebanon,  Cumberland, 
Franklin,  Schuylkill,  Perry,  Luzerne,  Montgomery,  Chester 
and  Wayne.  As  these  organizations  reported  to  the  Gov 
ernor  for  service,  they  were  rendezvoused  in  Camp  Sim 
mons,  adjoining  Camp  Curtin,  at  Harrisburg.  The  work  of 
effecting  permanent  company  organizations  and  mustering 

25 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

the  men  into  the  service  of  the  United  States  was  only  a 
question  of  a  short  time.  The  formation  of  the  regiment 
was  as  follows : 

Company  A — Captain  D.  M.  Donnehoo,  Beaver  County. 

Company  B — Captain  D.  E.  Whitney,  Susquehanna 
County. 

Company  C — Captain  W.  H.  Spera,  Lancaster  County. 

Company  D — Captain  C.  H.  Ames,  Bradford  County. 

Company  E — Captain  William  Tice,  Lebanon  County. 

Company  F — Captain  Charles  Lee,  Cumberland  County. 

Company  G — Captain  L.  D.  Kurtz,  Franklin  County. 

Company  H — Captain  William  Thompson,  Schuylkill 
County. 

Company  I — Captain  J.  B.  McCallister,  Perry  County  and 
City  of  Philadelphia. 

Company  K — Captain  R.  Fitzgerald,  Luzerne  County. 

Company  L — Captain  D.  B.  Hartranft,  Montgomery  and 
Chester  Counties. 

Company  M — Captain  Coe  Durland,  Wayne  County. 

On  the  eighteenth  day  of  October,  1862,  a  regimental  or 
ganization  was  effected  and  the  following  officers  were 
elected: 

COMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 

Josiah  H.  Kellogg,  Colonel,  U.  S.  Army. 

John  B.  McCallister,  Lieutenant-colonel. 

David  B.  Hartranft,   1 

Coe  Durland,  v  Majors. 

Reuben  R.  Reinhold,   ) 

Isaac  Walborn,  Major  and  Surgeon. 

Perry  J.  Tate,  First  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant. 

John  Anglun,  First  Lieutenant  and  Quartermaster. 

Henry  M.  Donnehoo,  First  Lieutenant  and  Commissary. 

James  B.  Moore,  First  Lieutenant  and  Assistant  Surgeon. 

H.  A.  Wheeler,  Captain  and  Chaplain. 

NON-COMMISSIONED  OFFICERS. 

Jerome  I.  Stanton,  Sergeant  Major. 
Thomas  H.  Boyd,  Quartermaster  Sergeant. 

26 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

John  A.  English,  Commissary  Sergeant. 
Samuel  M.  Drew,  Veterinary  Sergeant. 
Henry  J.  Tarble,  Hospital  Steward. 
Thomas  Lawrence,  Saddler. 
James  Hyde,  Chief  Bugler. 
Jonathan  M.  Darrow,  Farrier. 

Because  of  the  daily  arrival  of  new  organizations,  Camp 
Simmons  became  much  congested,  and  the  regiment,  on  No 
vember  10,  1862,  left  Camp  Simmons,  and  for  the  first 
time,  as  an  organization,  marched  in  a  body  about  one  mile 
north  of  Harrisburg,  establishing  its  first  regimental  camp 
— Camp  McClellan.  In  this  camp  horses,  sabres  and  horse 
equipments  were  issued,  and  the  active  duties  of  the  soldier 
commenced. 

Colonel  Josiah  H.  Kellogg  was  an  entire  stranger  to  both 
the  officers  and  men  of  the  regiment.  He  held  a  commission 
as  captain  in  the  First  United  States  Cavalry,  and  was,  by 
permission,  assigned  to  the  command  of  the  regiment.  He 
was  a  most  thorough  tactician  and  a  strict  disciplinarian,  and 
at  once  put  forth  strenuous  efforts  to  perfect  the  discipline 
of  the  regiment.  Drill,  drill,  drill,  drill  was  now  the  order 
over  and  over  again.  Drill  by  squads !  drill  by  company ! 
drill  by  squadron !  and  drill  by  regiment !  Then  there  were 
dress  parades,  guard,  fatigue  and  other  camp  duties  of  vari 
ous  kinds,  which  kept  the  men  almost  constantly  employed. 
At  first  these  drills  and  camp  duties  were  cheerfully  ac 
cepted  by  the  men,  but  soon  they  became  monotonous  and 
were  regarded  by  some  as  superfluous  and  unnecessary. 

But  the  colonel  evidently  knew  the  value  and  importance 
of  thorough  training  and  good  discipline,  and,  being  an  ex 
cellent  drill-master  himself,  he  soon  brought  the  regiment 
to  the  high  standard  of  proficiency  for  which  it  was  noted 
during  its  entire  service.  Those  drills — will  they  ever  be 
forgotten  by  those  who  participated  in  them?  No,  as  long 
as  memory  will  serve  us,  we  will  remember  them.  Many 
of  the  horses  we  had  received  had  never  been  ridden  before. 
There  was  rearing  and  kicking,  running  and  jumping,  lying 
down  and  falling  down,  men  thrown  by  their  horses,  kicked 

27 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY  HISTORY 

and  getting  hurt  in  various  ways.  There  was  crowding  in 
the  ranks,  getting  out  of  place  and  striving  to  get  back  into 
place  again,  pushing  forward  and  hanging  back,  some  any 
old  way  but  the  right  way.  All  sorts  of  mishaps  occurred, 
which  caused  a  great  deal  of  discomfort  and  amusement  at 
times.  But  by  patience,  continued  effort  and  practice,  these 
difficulties  rapidly  disappeared  and  both  men  and  horses 
soon  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  art  military  characteristic 
of  professionals.  Then  there  were  dismounted  drills,  sabre 
drills,  carbine  drills,  revolver  drills,  and  various  other  drills. 
Considerable  stress  was  given  to  the  sabre  drill,  that  being 
the  chief  weapon  used  when  on  duty,  dress  parade  and  re 
view  occasions. 

The  colonel  established  a  school  of  instruction,  and  the 
officers  were  obliged  to  make  themselves  thoroughly  ac 
quainted  with  the  tactics  and  other  military  duties.  Those 
who  failed  to  do  so,  had  but  a  short  stay  with  the  regiment. 
The  discipline  of  our  first  camp  was  very  strict.  Possibly 
not  too  strict  from  a  military  standpoint.  But  some  of  the 
men  considered  it  too  strict  for  convenience,  especially  when 
off  duty.  They  could  hardly  see  the  need  of  remaining  in 
camp  so  closely  when  there  were  opportunities  of  comfort 
and  enjoyment  outside.  Because  of  the  strict  enforcement 
of  the  rules  and  regulations  prescribed  by  the  commanding 
officer  and  because  of  the  many  attractions  of  a  social  char 
acter  in  the  city  of  Harrisburg  so  near  the  camp,  the  run 
ning  of  the  camp  guard  was  often  practiced  successfully  and 
many  were  the  stories  told  of  narrow  escapes  from  arrest. 
Of  course  occasionally  some  would  fall  into  the  hands  of 
the  patrol  and  had  to  suffer  the  consequences.  Lest  the 
criticisms  of  those  who  ran  the  guard  might  be  too  severe, 
permit  me  to  say,  they  generally  performed  their  duties  in 
camp  just  as  faithfully  and  cheerfully  as  those  who  were 
not  guilty  of  such  violations.  As  they  were  quite  certain 
that  soon  the  pleasure  of  seeing  their  friends  would  be  be 
yond  their  reach,  who  will  blame  them  for  such  irregular 
ities?  Instead  of  censuring  them,  now  that  it  is  all  past, 
may  they  not  rather  be  considered  as  having  had  the  daring 
spirit  calculated  to  make  brave  soldiers?  But  our  stay  in 

28 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

Camp  McClellan,  like  that  at  Camp  Simmons,  was  of  but 
short  duration. 

We  were  now  expecting  orders  every  day  to  be  called  to 
the  front.  We  did  not  have  to  wait  long,  for,  on  the  25th 
day  of  November,  1862,  we  left  Camp  McClellan  for  Wash 
ington,  D.  C.  The  regiment  was  transported  to  Baltimore, 
Md.,  by  railroad,  the  horses  in  regular  cattle  cars,  while  the 
men  were  crowded  into  box  cars,  without  seats  or  bunks. 
Here  the  men  for  the  first  time  keenly  realized  the  marked 
distinction  between  the  officers  and  the  enlisted  men.  The 
officers  were  furnished  passenger  coaches,  while  the 
enlisted  men  were  obliged  to  ride  in  box  cars.  The  trip  was 
made  during  the  night  and  we  had  no  lights.  We  also  suf 
fered  considerable  discomfort  from  cold.  Thus  we  passed 
the  live-long  night  huddled  together  in  a  lot  of  freight  cars 
that  no  doubt  had  many  times  carried  less  valuable  animals 
to  the  slaughter  house.  At  Baltimore  the  regiment  disem 
barked  and,  after  a  fairly  substantial  breakfast,  by  com 
panies,  at  the  Soldiers'  Relief  Association,  the  horses  were 
removed  from  the  cars,  and  the  regiment  paraded  through 
the  principal  streets  of  the  city.  Later  in  the  day  we  em 
barked  again,  this  time,  however,  in  passenger  coaches,  for 
Washington,  D.  C.,  arriving  there  early  next  morning.  Here 
we  again  disembarked  and  were  served  with  luncheon  at  the 
Soldiers'  Retreat.  After  unloading  our  horses  and  camp 
equipage,  we  marched  through  some  of  the  most  prominent 
streets  of  the  city,  and  then  went  into  camp  for  several  days 
on  East  Capitol  Hill.  This  being  the  first  visit  to  the  na 
tional  capital  for  most  of  the  men,  and  the  stay  being  only 
temporary,  the  discipline  of  the  camp  was  less  rigid  than  in 
Camp  McClellan,  and  the  men  were  given  an  opportunity 
to  visit  places  of  interest  and  amusement. 

We  were  now  at  the  headquarters  of  our  government 
from  whence  emanated  the  laws  that  governed  forty  mil 
lions  of  people, — the  seat  of  the  most  liberal  government  the 
world  has  yet  known.  Knowing  it  to  be  the  capital  of  our 
great  nation,  the  author  had  pictured  to  himself  a  city  full 
of  marble  palaces  and  flowing  fountains.  In  this  he  was 
sadly  disappointed.  The  capitol  in  itself  was  a  magnificent 

29 

3— 17th    R. 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

marble  structure ;  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  a  fine  resort  for 
the  public;  the  White  House  and  some  other  government 
buildings,  gorgeous  and  beautiful,  but  the  city  of  that  day, 
as  a  whole,  impressed  me  as  unworthy  the  great  nation  it 
represented. 

After  a  few  days'  sojourn  in  the  city  of  Washington,  the 
regiment  received  orders  to  march  overland  to  join  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac.  After  receiving  our  little  shelter  tents, 
better  known  as  "dog  tents,"  we  said  good-by  to  the  nation's 
capital,  passed  over  the  famous  Long  Bridge  into  Virginia, 
and  encamped  for  the  first  time  on  Confederate  soil,  at  Ar 
lington  Heights,  in  full  view  of  the  Confederate  General 
Robert  E.  Lee's  residence,  where  we  pitched  our  "dog 
tents"  for  the  first  time.  If  a  bird's-eye  view  of  that  camp 
could  be  produced  today  it  would  no  doubt  be  one  of  the 
rare  curiosities  of  the  Civil  War. 

Orders  were  now  issued  to  the  regiment  to  send  home  all 
surplus  baggage  and  to  reduce  our  camp  equipage  to  strict 
army  regulations.  Four  days'  rations  and  forage  were  issu 
ed,  all  the  sick  and  disabled  were  sent  to  the  hospital,  and, 
on  the  2ist  day  of  December,  1862,  the  regiment  started  on 
its  march  to  join  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  About  noon 
we  reached  the  town  of  Alexandria,  where  the  Rebel  flag  so 
long  waved  in  the  very  sight  of  the  capitol  at  Washington, 
ite  displacement  costing  the  life  of  the  brave  Colonel  Elmer 
E.  Ellsworth.  We  passed  through  the  place  in  silence,  and 
saw,  from  only  one  house,  the  American  flag  displayed.  The 
night  of  the  2ist  day  of  December,  1862,  was  spent  on  the 
George  Washington  Estate,  near  the  village  of  Accotink. 
The  country  here  looked  poor,  the  roads  bad,  the  inhabitants 
few  and  far  between,  and  this  within  a  day's  march  from 
the  capital  of  the  nation,  and  only  about  one  mile  from  the 
former  residence  of  the  Father  of  his  Country. 

On  December  22,  1862,  we  reached  the  town  of  Occo- 
quan,  Virginia,  where  we  met  Hampton's  Legion  of  the 
Rebel  cavalry,  then  raiding  in  the  rear  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  After  a  sharp  skirmish,  the  Rebel  cavalry  was 
driven  off  and  we  went  into  camp  for  the  night.  Here  we 
did  our  first  picket  duty  in  the  enemy's  country.  No  camp 

30 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY  HISTORY 

fires  were  allowed  during  the  night.  There  was  a  strong, 
cold  wind,  and  to  sit  quietly  on  a  horse  on  picket  duty  for 
two  hours  at  a  time,  was  a  new  experience.  Orders  were 
issued  to  those  who  were  not  on  picket  duty  to  be  ready  to  re 
spond  to  any  emergency  call  that  might  be  made.  Fortunately 
no  emergency  arose  and  no  call  was  made.  The  following  day 
was  devoted  to  reconnoitering,  trying  to  find  the  enemy 
who  had  intercepted  our  march  the  day  before.  Although 
we  had  evidences  that  we  were  on  their  trail,  we  failed  to 
discover  them.  Returning  to  Occoquan,  we  virtually  occu 
pied  the  same  camp  we  had  occupied  the  night  before,  and 
again  did  picket  duty.  It  was  freely  rumored  that  the  Rebel 
cavalry  were  still  in  the  vicinity  of  Occoquan,  threatening 
communication  between  Washington  and  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  Companies  C,  D  and  I,  with  Major  Reuben  R. 
Reinhold  in  command,  were  ordered  to  remain  at  Occoquan 
as  a  reserve  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  open  the  line  of  com 
munication,  while  the  balance  of  the  regiment  continued  the 
march  to  the  front. 

After  the  other  nine  companies  of  the  regiment  had  left, 
Hampton's  Legion  returned  to  Occoquan,  in  superior  num 
bers  to  those  under  command  of  Major  Reinhold.  Several 
attacks  by  these  mountain  rangers  were  repulsed  and  a  num 
ber  of  prisoners  taken.  On  December  27,  1862,  Major 
Reinhold's  command  was  relieved  from  further  duty  at 
Occoquan  and  ordered  to  join  the  regiment,  which,  in  the 
meantime,  had  advanced  to  near  Stafford  Court  House,  Vir 
ginia. 

On  the  way  to  join  the  regiment,  when  in  the  vicinity  of 
Neabsco  Creek,  Major  Reinhold  received  word  that  the 
enemy  had  intercepted  him,  that  an  attack  had  been  made  at 
Dumfries,  and  that  a  column  of  Rebel  cavalry  and  artillery 
was  moving  on  the  Telegraph  Road  to  Occoquan.  He  imme 
diately  countermarched,  and,  taking  a  position  on  the 
heights,  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Occoquan  Creek,  success 
fully  foiled  every  attempt  of  the  enemy  to  cross.  On  the 
following  morning,  having  been  reinforced  by  a  detachment 
of  the  Second  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  Major  Reinhold  cross 
ed  the  stream  to  reconnoiter  and,  falling  in  with  General  J. 

31 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

E.  B.  Stuart's  command,  made  an  attack,  but  was  overpow 
ered,  obliged  to  retire,  and  to  recross  the  creek.  It  was  not 
until  January  5,  1863,  that  Major  Reinhold's  command  re 
joined  the  regiment  near  Stafford  Court  House. 

On  this,  our  first  engagement  with  the  enemy,  Colonel 
Josiah  H.  Kellogg,  commanding  the  regiment,  made  the  fol 
lowing  official  report : 

COLONEL  MYSENBERG,  ADJUTANT  GENERAL,  ELEVENTH  CORPS. 
Camp  near  Stafford  Court  House,  Va., 

DECEMBER  27,  1862. 
Colonel  : 

In  accordance  with  instructions  from  Headquarters,  Eleventh 
Army  Corps,  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  on  Thursday  the  i8th 
of  December,  1862,  in  compliance  with  Special  Orders  from  Head 
quarters  Defenses  of  Washington,  I  marched  with  my  command 
from  the  end  of  Long  Bridge,  opposite  Washington,  D.  C.,  to  join 
this  army.  Having  been  informed  by  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
detachment  of  Second  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  doing  duty  at  Acco- 
tink,  Va.,  that  his  pickets  extended  to  the  river  at  Occoquan,  I  was 
marching  at  the  head  of  my  column  long  enough  only  to  send  for 
ward  an  advance  guard  and  flankers  and  then  pushed  on  to  the 
river.  When  I  reached  it  I  found  the  ferry  boat  sunk,  and  the 
enemy's  carbineers,  who  occupied  the  town  on  the  other  side,  made 
the  road  to  the  ferry  very  warm.  As  it  was  impossible  to  cross 
here,  I  withdrew  my  men  around  the  bend  of  the  road,  out  of  fire. 
The  enemy  had  been  busy  up  to  the  time  I  arrived  at  the  spot  in 
ferrying  over  the  river  a  government  train  and  some  sutlers'  wagons. 
The  presence  of  my  command  saved  the  wagons,  which  had  not 
yet  been  crossed,  consisting  of  nine  government  wagons  and  three 
sutlers'  wagons,  making  in  all  twelve  wagons. 

Not  knowing  the  country,  and  depending  on  a  guide  (Mr.  Stiles, 
furnished  the  command  at  Alexandria  by  General  Slough),  I  lost 
some  time,  unavoidably,  in  finding  out  Snyder's  Ford.  I  would  say 
here  that  the  guide,  Mr.  Stiles,  by  his  own  carelessness  in  going 
ahead  of  the  command  without  any  permission  whatever,  was  cap 
tured  by  the  enemy  at  the  river.  Leaving  part  of  my  command  on 
the  ferry  road,  I  moved  with  the  rest  of  the  command  up  to  Sny 
der's  Ford,  drove  in  the  enemy's  pickets  stationed  there  and  tried  to 
cut  off  his  rear.  On  account  of  not  knowing  the  country  and  roads, 
and  my  regiment  being  so  new,  never  having  been  drilled  and  hav 
ing  had  their  arms  only  three  or  four  days  before  we  left  Washing 
ton,  I  could  not  effect  as  much  as  I  might  have  done  with  older  men, 
besides,  there  was  not  a  carbine  in  the  regiment  and  consequently,  in 
a  wooded  country,  I  was  obliged  to  move  carefully. 

32 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

I  scouted  the  country  in  all  directions  some  five  or  six  miles  and 
my  advance  guard  ran  into  the  enemy's  rear  guard,  at  about  dark, 
on  the  road  from  Occoquan  to  Dumfries.  The  enemy  were  then 
retreating  at  a  gallop.  As  soon  as  it  was  quite  dark,  I  deemed  it 
advisable  to  recross  the  river  and  go  into  camp,  starting  out  six 
hundred  men  at  daylight  the  next  morning  to  Maple  Valley,  Wolf 
Run,  Shoals  Ford  and  in  the  direction  of  Brentsville.  The  country 
was  thoroughly  scoured,  but  I  could  find  nothing  of  the  enemy. 
The  enemy  burned  one  of  the  government  wagons  in  the  town  of 
Occoquan,  and,  but  for  the  delay  consequent  on  losing  my  guide, 
I  would  have  been  able  to  save  more  of  them.  In  reference  to  the 
number  and  part  of  our  cavalry  (Tenth  New  York)  captured,  I 
know  nothing  about  them  from  observation,  but  it  was  reported  to 
me  that  the  picket  was  taken  at  or  near  Neabsco,  half-way  between 
Occoquan  and  Dumfries,  and  that  it  consisted  of  a  lieutenant  and 
thirty  men  of  the  Tenth  New  York  Cavalry.  It  was  also  reported 
to  me  that  five  men  of  the  Second  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  were  cap 
tured  at  the  ferry. 

The  officers  and  men  of  this  command  behaved  very  well;  in 
fact  better  than  could  be  expected.  In  all  that  I  did  I  consulted 
with  Colonel  Rush  of  the  Sixth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  who  hap 
pened  to  be  with  me  with  one  hundred  of  his  men. 

I  am,  Colonel,  very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

JOSIAH  H.  KELLOGG, 
Colonel,  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

OUR  EXPERIENCE  IN  MUDDY  STAFFORD. 

Immediately  upon  the  arrival  of  the  regiment  with  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  it  was  assigned  to  the  Second  Bri 
gade,  First  Division  of  the  Cavalry  Corps,  and  had  for  its 
immediate  associates  the  Sixth  New  York,  Sixth  United 
States  and  Eighth  Pennsylvania.  Shortly  after  this  forma 
tion,  the  Ninth  New  York  was  substituted  for  the  Sixth 
United  States  and  Eighth  Pennsylvania.  After  these  changes 
the  Second  Brigade,  First  Division  of  the  Cavalry  Corps, 
was  composed  of  the  Sixth  and  Ninth  New  York  and  the 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania,  commanded  by  Colonel  Thomas 
C  Devin,  of  the  Sixth  New  York.  Later  the  Fourth  New 
York  was  attached  to  the  brigade.  With  this  organization 
the  regiment  was  continuously  identified  until  the  close  of 
the  war.  Early  in  the  month  of  January,  1863,  the  regiment 
was  assigned  to  picket  duty  in  the  vicinity  of  Stafford  Court 

33 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY  HISTORY 

House,  thus  becoming  the  extreme  rear  picket  line  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac;  and  because  of  the  almost  constant 
raiding  of  the  Rebel  cavalry  and  bushwhacking  in  the  rear 
of  General  Hooker's  army,  the  men  were  required  to  be  al 
most  continuously  in  the  saddle.  It  was  nothing  unusual  to 
hear  the  call  of  "Boots  and  Saddles"  almost  any  hour  of 
the  night,  and  those  of  the  regiment  who  were  not  on  duty 
would  be  rushed,  with  all  possible  haste,  to  some  reserve 
picket  post  that  had  been  attacked  during  the  night.  Then, 
too,  sometimes  such  night  calls  were  planned  by  the  colonel, 
for  the  purpose  of  testing  the  readiness  of  the  men  to  re 
spond  quickly  to  unexpected  calls. 

Many  incidents  might  be  recorded  which  occurred  during 
these  hurry  calls.  "What's  up  now?"  "Where  are  we  go 
ing?"  "Where  are  the  Rebels?"  "Jim,  where  are  my  boots?" 
"Tom,  you  have  my  coat  on."  "Sam,  you  have  my  bridle  on 
your  horse,"  are  specimen  expressions.  I  recall  an  instance 
where  a  man  in  his  excitement  placed  the  saddle  hind  end 
foremost  on  his  horse,  and  only  discovered  his  error  when 
we  were  ordered  to  mount.  To  add  to  the  confusion,  the 
orderly  sergeant  would  shout  "Fall  in,  Company  E."  Then 
the  officers  would  appear  upon  the  scene,  urging  the  men  in 
line.  Then  here  comes  an  orderly  from  headquarters  that 
the  captain  report  with  his  company  immediately.  Such 
scrambling  for  sabres,  carbines,  revolvers  and  other  equip 
ments  can  perhaps  better  be  imagined  than  described.  And 
then,  too,  imagine  the  feeling  of  the  men,  after  such  an  ex 
perience,  to  be  marched  back  to  camp  again  and  learn  that 
the  whole  thing  was  only  a  ruse. 

On  February  10,  1863,  one  of  our  picket  posts, 
about  three  miles  from  camp,  in  charge  of  Lieutenant  P.  A. 
English,  and  sixteen  men  of  Company  A  was  attacked  at 
night  by  guerrillas.  While  a  few  vedettes  were  placed  to 
watch  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  the  rest  of  the  men  were 
gathered  around  a  small  campfire.  It  was  a  dark  night,  and 
rain  and  sleet  were  falling,  making  the  night  dismal  and 
gloomy.  About  thirty  men  of  the  guerrillas  had  left  their 
horses  a  short  distance  from  the  reserve  post,  eluded  the 
outpost  and  stealthily  got  between  the  vedettes  and  the  re- 

34 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

serve  undiscovered.  All  of  a  sudden  one  of  the  guerrillas 
shouted  "Now,  boys,  give  them  hell."  Two  of  our  men 
were  shot  dead  and  one  wounded.  Lieutenant  English  was 
the  only  man  who  escaped  to  tell  the  story  of  what  occurred. 
The  lieutenant  was  wounded  and  put  on  a  horse  with  one  of 
the  Rebels.  The  saddle  turning,  they  were  dismounted.  In 
the  act  of  readjusting  the  saddle,  being  in  the  woods  and  the 
night  being  dark,  the  lieutenant  was  able  to  escape. 
All  the  rest,  except  those  killed,  were  carried  off  by  the  guer 
rillas. 

No  command  was  given  to  surrender.  Such  conduct  can 
not  be  regarded  in  any  other  light  than  midnight  murder. 
The  following  day  the  regiment  scoured  the  country  for 
miles,  but  failed  to  discover  the  murderers.  The  bodies  of 
the  two  men  killed  were  brought  to  camp,  placed  in  coffins 
made  of  old  boxes  and  sent  to  their  friends  in  Beaver  Coun 
ty,  Pa. 

On  another  occasion,  two  men  were  ordered  to  proceed  to 
a  certain  house  and  inquire  if  any  Rebel  soldiers  had  been 
seen  in  the  vicinity.  "Not  any,"  was  the  reply.  The  men 
seeing  a  colored  boy  not  far  away,  approached  him,  thinking 
he  might  be  more  truthful.  "Oh,  yes,"  said  he,  "there  are 
some  upstairs  in  massa's  house  now."  They  returned  to  the 
house  and,  while  in  the  act  of  going  upstairs,  both  men  were 
fired  upon  and  killed.  A  search  for  the  men  resulted  in  find 
ing  them  dead.  The  building  was  burned  and  the  family 
made  prisoners.  It  was  the  colored  boy  who,  when  ques 
tioned,  told  how  the  soldiers  were  killed  and  how  their  assas 
sins  then  ran  away. 

On  February  14,  1863,  the  regiment  was  relieved  and  we 
moved  our  camp  to  near  Acquia  Church.  This  was  a  beau 
tiful  place,  located  on  high  ground  in  a  fine  oak  grove.  The 
church  building  had  the  following  inscription:  "Built  A.  D. 
1751.  Destroyed  by  fire,  1754.  Rebuilt,  1757."  The  citi 
zens  in  the  vicinity  claimed  that  Washington,  Lafayette  and 
other  great  men  of  Revolutionary  times  had  worshipped  in 
this  chapel.  During  our  short  stay  at  this  beautiful  spot 
several  religious  services  were  held  in  this  church  in  charge 
of  our  regimental  chaplain,  Rev.  Henry  Wheeler.  The  build- 

35 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

ing  being  only  a  small  one,  it  was  crowded  by  the  members 
of  the  regiment  every  time  services  were  held. 

It  was  estimated  that  the  regiment,  during  that  winter, 
lost  more  men  by  death  and  disability,  on  account  of  the  cold 
weather  and  insufficient  means  of  protection,  than  during 
any  subsequent  period  in  its  history.  The  weather  was  ex 
tremely  cold,  and  big  snow  storms  were  the  rule  rather  than 
the  exception.  The  men  suffered  greatly  during  their  stay 
in  "Muddy  Stafford."  It  was  an  experience  that  will  never 
be  forgotten  by  those  who  were  there. 

On  the  i8th  of  February,  1863,  Companies  C  and  I  of 
the  regiment,  under  command  of  Captain  W.  H.  Spera,  were 
ordered  to  escort  duty  with  General  George  G.  Meade,  com 
manding  the  Fifth  Corps,  where  they  remained  until  after 
the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  and  during  the  engagement 
were  kept  busy  in  the  transmission  of  orders. 

PRESIDENT  LINCOLN  REVIEWS  THE  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC. 

Preparatory  to  the  opening  of  the  spring  campaign,  on 
the  sixth  day  of  April,  1863,  President  Lincoln  reviewed  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  various  commands  were  assem 
bled  on  the  plains  in  the  vicinity  of  Falmouth  early  in  the 
morning;  and,  after  a  tedious  wait,  later  in  the  day,  the  vari 
ous  commands  were  reviewed  by  the  President  of  the  Unit 
ed  States  and  their  illustrious  commander,  General  Joseph 
Hooker,  commanding  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  re 
cently  organized  Cavalry  Corps  was  about  ten  thousand 
strong.  General  George  Stoneman,  the  corps  commander, 
accompanied  by  his  staff,  took  his  position  at  the  centre  of 
the  line,  facing  the  front.  Soon  President  Lincoln  and  Gen 
eral  Joseph  Hooker,  with  their  staffs,  and  a  large  retinue  of 
distinguished  officers  and  guests,  approached.  The  Presi 
dent  was  dressed  in  citizen's  clothes,  wore  a  large  silk  hat, 
and  was  mounted  on  a  fine  bay  horse,  while  General  Joseph 
Hooker  wore  the  regulation  uniform  and  was  mounted  on 
a  spirited  white  horse.  They  rode  up  to  General  George 
Stoneman,  who  was  then  introduced  to  the  President  and 
took  him  in  charge  to  review  his  corps.  That  review  made 
a  lasting  impression  upon  the  author's  mind.  He  imagines 

36 


ORGANIZATION   AND  EARLY   HISTORY 

that  he  can  see  it  all  pass  before  him  now  as  President  Lin 
coln  and  Generals  Hooker  and  Stoneman  start  off  at  a  gal 
lop,  with  about  three  hundred  attendants,  first  to  the  right 
of  the  line,  then  along  the  whole  front  to  the  left  and  thence 
to  the  reviewing  stand.  General  Stoneman  now  leaves  the 
President,  and  with  his  staff  again  takes  his  position  in  the 
centre  of  the  line,  facing  the  corps,  and  gives  the  command 
to  pass  in  review.  The  long  line  of  cavalry  now  breaks  into 
column  of  companies  and,  with  General  Stoneman  at  the 
head,  marches  past  the  reviewing  stand,  presenting  sabre  as 
each  company  passes  the  stand.  This  was  a  notable  day  in 
the  history  of  the  regiment  and  the  men  were  greatly  en 
thused. 

CHANCELLORSVILLE. 

While  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  was  being  fought  the 
entire  Cavalry  Corps,  with  the  exception  of  the  Seventeenth 
and  Eighth  Pennsylvania  and  the  Sixth  New  York,  were 
dispatched  under  Generals  William  W.  Averill  and  George 
Stoneman,  to  cut  the  enemy's  communications,  and  harass 
his  rear.  These  three  regiments  were  moved  with  the  col 
umns  of  General  Hooker  on  the  Chancellorsville  campaign 
and  were  assigned  as  follows :  The  Eighth  Pennsylvania  to 
the  Fifth  Corps;  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  to  the 
Eleventh  Corps;  and  the  Sixth  New  York  to  the  Twelfth 
Corps.  On  the  2d  day  of  May,  1863,  the  Seventeenth  Penn 
sylvania  Cavalry  was  sent  out  the  old  Plank  Road  to  pro 
tect  Hooker's  right  flank.  During  the  afternoon  large 
clouds  of  dust  indicated  a  heavy  movement  of  troops  in 
their  front,  which  fact,  the  author  is  reliably  informed,  was 
repeatedly  reported  to  headquarters;  but,  before  General 
Hooker's  lines  could  be  readjusted  and  a  sufficient  number 
of  troops  placed  in  position  to  meet  the  Rebel  General 
"Stonewall"  Jackson's  flanking  assault,  the  entire  Eleventh 
Corps  of  Hooker's  army  was  pushed  back  and  was  in  full 
retreat,  with  no  available  reserve  to  stay  the  attack.  At  the 
juncture,  General  Alfred  Pleasonton,  who  had  been  out 
in  advance  of  the  line  on  the  centre,  supporting  General 
Daniel  A.  Sickles  then  demonstrating  upon  General  "Stone- 

37 


ORGANIZATION   AND  EARLY  HISTORY 

wall"  Jackson's  flank  and  rear,  happened  to  be  returning 
with  the  Eighth  and  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  to 
wards  the  centre  and  had  reached  the  breastworks,  just  as 
hordes  of  Jackson's  troops,  who  were  pursuing  the  routed 
Eleventh  Corps  troops,  were  approaching  that  part  of  the 
field.  Divining  the  condition  of  affairs,  General  Pleasonton 
ordered  Major  Keenan  of  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania  to  charge 
the  assault  of  the  enemy.  Well  he  knew  that  the  execution 
of  the  order  would  involve  the  sacrifice  of  that  gallant  regi 
ment.  But  it  was  necessary  to  check  the  Rebel  onslaught, 
and  thus  gain  time  to  bring  his  horse  artillery  into  position, 
and  interpose  some  more  effectual  barrier.  Brigadier  Gen 
eral  Alfred  Pleasonton,  in  his  official  report  on  the  battle  of 
Chancellorsville,  under  date  of  May  u,  1860,  says: 

"I  immediately  ran  up,  this  battery  of  mine  at  a  gallop, 
put  it  into  position,  ordered  it  unlimbered  and  double  shotted 
with  canister,  and  directed  the  men  to  aim  at  the  ground 
line  of  the  parapet,  that  the  Eleventh  Corps  had  thrown  up, 
about  two  hundred  yards  off.  Our  artillery  as  a  general 
rule,  overshoots,  and  I  ordered  them  to  fire  low,  because  the 
shot  would  ricochet.  I  then  set  to  work  with  two  squadrons 
of  the  remaining  regiment  (the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania) 
to  clear  this  field  of  fugitives,  and  to  stop  what  cannon  and 
ammunition  we  could  and  put  them  in  position ;  and  I  manag 
ed  to  get  twenty-two  guns  loaded,  double  shotted  and  aimed 
on  this  space  in  front  of  us  for  about  a  quarter  or  half 
mile,  when  the  whole  woods  appeared  alive  with  large  bodies 
of  men.  This  was  just  at  dusk.  I  was  going  to  give  the 
word  "fire,"  for  I  had  ordered  those  pieces  not  to  fire  unless 
I  gave  the  word,  because  I  wanted  the  effect  of  an  immense 
shock.  There  was  an  immense  body  of  men,  and  I  wanted 
the  whole  weight  of  the  metal  to  check  them.  I  was  about 
to  give  the  word  "fire"  when  one  of  the  soldiers  at  a  piece 
said  'General,  that  is  our  flag.'  I  said  to  one  of  my  aids, 
'Mr.  Thompson,  ride  forward  there  at  once  and  let  me  know 
what  flag  that  is.'  He  went  to  within  about  one  hundred 
yards,  and  those  people  cried  out :  'Come  on,  we  are  friends'. 
He  started  to  move  on,  when  the  whole  line  of  woods  blazed 
with  musketry,  and  they  commenced  leaping  over  the  para- 

38 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

pet,  and  charged  on  the  guns ;  and,  at  about  the  same  time,  I 
saw  from  eight  to  ten  Rebel  battle-flags  run  up  along  the 
whole  line.  I  immediately  gave  orders  to  "fire" ;  and  the 
fire  actually  swept  the  men  away.  It  seemed  to  blow  those 
men  in  front  clear  over  the  parapet.  We  had  this  fight  be 
tween  musketry  and  artillery  there  for  nearly  an  hour.  At 
one  time  they  got  within  fifty  yards  of  the  guns. 

"There  were  two  squadrons  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsyl 
vania  left.  This  regiment  I  had  was  composed  of  raw  men, 
new  troops,  and  all  I  could  do  was  to  make  a  show.  I  had 
them  formed  in  single  line,  with  sabres  drawn  with  orders 
to  charge  in  case  the  enemy  came  to  the  guns.  They  sat 
on  their  horses  in  rear  of  the  guns,  and  I  have  no  doubt 
that  the  Rebels  took  them  for  the  head  of  a  heavy  column, 
as  the  country  sloped  back  behind  them,  and  they  could 
not  see  what  was  back  of  them.  The  coolness  displayed  by 
the  Seventeenth  Regiment  in  rallying  fugitives,  and  sup 
porting  the  batteries  (including  Marten's)  which  repulsed 
the  enemy's  attack  under  Jackson,  on  the  evening  of  May  2, 
1863,  has  excited  the  highest  admiration." 

Considering  that  this  was  really  the  first  baptism  of  blood 
for  the  regiment,  the  heroic  manner  in  which  it  met  the 
mad  assault  of  Stonewall  Jackson's  army  by  a  single  line 
of  cavalry,  virtually  with  no  support,  certainly  reflected 
great  credit  upon  the  regiment.  It  was  a  trying  position, 
but  the  firm  front  presented,  saved  the  day,  and  enabled 
General  Hooker  to  reform  his  shattered  troops,  and  once 
more  present  an  unbroken  line.  Later  in  the  evening,  Gen 
eral  Sickles'  Corps  came  up,  took  position  in  support  of  the 
guns,  and  relieved  the  regiment. 

The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  the  official  report 
of  Colonel  Thomas  C.  Devin,  Sixth  New  York  Cavalry,  com 
manding  Second  Brigade,  under  date  of  May  12,  1863:  "I 
have  the  honor  to  submit  the  following  report  of  the  opera 
tions  of  this  brigade  during  the  recent  engagements : 

"On  the  morning  of  April  28th,  in  compliance  with  orders 
from  division  headquarters,  I  broke  camp  at  Potomac 
Bridge,  and  moved  with  my  command  to  Grove  Church,  on 
the  Morrisville  Road.  I  established  my  headquarters  at  that 

39 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

point,  and  immediately  dispatched  parties  to  scour  the 
country,  arrest  all  citizens  met  with,  and  watch  the  river 
from  Banks'  Ford  to  the  Rappahannock  Bridge.  A  number 
of  citizens  were  arrested,  and  confined  in  Grove  Church 
until  the  passage  of  the  army  across  the  river  had  been  as 
sured. 

"On  the  evening  of  the  28th,  I  was  ordered  to  send  the 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  to  report  to  General 
Howard,  and  to  withdraw  my  pickets  and  concentrate  the 
rest  of  the  brigade  in  the  neighborhood  of  Mount  Holly 
Church;  also  to  furnish  guides  (acquainted  with  the 
country)  to  the  columns  of  Generals  Howard  and  Meade. 

"I  was  unable  to  concentrate  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania 
(then  picketing  on  the  extreme  left)  until  3  a.  m.,  when  I 
marched  to  Mount  Holly  Church.  On  arriving  near  that 
point,  I  found  the  Sixth  New  York  had  been  ordered  to 
the  advance  of  General  Slocum's  column,  while  the  Eighth 
Pennsylvania  had  been  ordered  to  report  to  General  Meade. 
I  was  directed  to  march  with  that  command. 

"The  brigade  was  thus  distributed,  as  follows :  The 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  Colonel  Kellogg  in  com 
mand,  in  advance  of  the  Eleventh  Army  Corps;  the  Sixth 
New  York  Cavalry,  Lieutenant-colonel  McVicar  in  com 
mand,  in  advance  of  the  Twelfth  Army  Corps;  the  Eighth 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  Major  Huey  in  command,  and  one 
troop  First  Michigan  Cavalry,  in  advance  of  the  Fifth  Army 
Corps. 

"The  Sixth  New  York  operated  under  the  direction  of 
Brigadier  General  Pleasonton,  commanding  the  First  Ca 
valry  Division,  until  the  arrival  of  the  corps  at  Cha.ncellors- 
ville ;  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania  under  the  direction  of  Colonel 
Thomas  C.  Devin,  commanding  the  Second  Brigade,  First 
Cavalry  Division,  until  the  morning  of  May  ist. 

SEVENTEENTH  PENNSYLVANIA  CAVALRY. 

"By  referring  to  the  report  of  Colonel  Kellogg,  com 
manding  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania,  I  find  that  his  regi 
ment  was  the  first  to  cross  the  pontoon  bridge  at  Kelly's 
Ford  on  the  night  of  the  28th,  when  he  immediately  scouted 

40 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

the  country  to  the  front,  toward  Culpepper,  for  some  miles, 
finding  but  few  of  the  enemy,  who,  being  dismounted,  re 
tired  into  the  woods. 

"The  regiment  then  picketed  the  roads  to  the  front,  and  at 
daylight  again  scouted  toward  Culpepper  some  three  miles, 
where  it  was  met  by  a  force  of  the  enemy,  consisting  of 
about  three  hundred  cavalry,  one  section  of  artillery,  and 
some  infantry. 

"The  regiment  was  then  ordered  to  cover  the  right  of 
General  Howard's  column,  scouting  all  the  country  to  the 
right  of  the  road  from  Kelly's  to  Germania  Ford.  This  was 
accomplished  by  continually  skirmishing  with  the  enemy  (on 
the  roads  to  the  right),  who  fell  back  as  our  skirmishers  ad 
vanced.  The  regiment  did  not  lose  a  man,  killing  several  of 
the  enemy  and  taking  one  prisoner. 

"Owing  to  a  misunderstanding  of  orders,  Colonel  Kellogg 
had  not  been  aware  that  there  was  a  wagon  train  in  rear 
of  the  column  which  he  was  expected  to  guard  and  bring 
forward,  and  General  Steinwehr,  commanding  a  division  of 
the  Eleventh  Corps,  ordered  the  regiment  back  to  meet  the 
enemy  on  the  road  just  passed  over  by  the  column. 

"On  going  to  the  rear,  they  were  found  posted  in  a  woods, 
with  one  section  of  artillery  and  at  least  three  hundred 
cavalry,  armed  with  carbines.  Not  being  aware  that  a  train 
was  yet  in  the  rear,  and  having  no  carbines  with  which  to 
dismount  and  clear  the  woods,  after  he  had  ascertained  the 
force  of  the  enemy,  Colonel  Kellogg  returned  with  his  com 
mand  to  Germania"  Ford. 

"He  was  again  ordered  to  communicate  with  the  train, 
which  he  then  learned  for  the  first  time  was  still  in  the  rear, 
returned  to  where  the  enemy  were  posted,  charged  and 
drove  them  down  the  road  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  until  he 
came  upon  a  barricade  of  felled  trees  across  the  road.  The 
night  being  very  dark  and  rainy,  he  concluded  to  wait  until 
daylight,  having  lost  in  the  attack  eight  horses  but  no  men. 
When  about  moving  to  the  rear  again  at  daylight,  he  was 
ordered  to  the  front  to  cross  the  Rapidan,  scout  to  the  right 
and  cover  the  column  then  marching  to  Chancellorsville.  He 
picketed  all  the  roads  to  right  and  rear  on  the  night  of  the 

41 


ORGANIZATION   AND  EARLY  HISTORY 

3Oth  ultimo,  and,  May  i,  reported  back  to  brigade  head 
quarters,  leaving  two  squadrons  with  General  Howard, 
charged  with  the  duty  of  picketing  to  his  right  and  front 
and  observing  the  country  toward  Orange  and  Spottsylvania 
Court  House. 

"On  the  afternoon  of  May  2d,  the  brigade  (with  the  ex 
ception  of  a  squadron  of  the  Sixth  New  York,  under  Cap 
tain  Crocker,  on  picket  at  Ely's  Ford),  was  ordered  to 
the  front,  in  rear  of  General  Howard's  line,  and  on  the  right 
of  General  Sickles,'  about  one  mile  from  Chancellorsville. 
Shortly  after,  I  was  ordered  to  report  with  the  Sixth  New 
York  to  General  Birney,  then  about  three  miles  to  the  left. 
On  reporting  to  him,  he  ordered  me  to  return  with  my  com 
mand  and  ascertain  if  the  Plank  Road  was  open  to  Chan 
cellorsville.  His  infantry  columns  were  at  that  time  re 
tiring. 

"I  succeeded  in  reaching  the  field  where  I  had  left  the  bri 
gade  under  General  Pleasonton  and  found  the  infantry  about 
forming  line.  I  immediately  ordered  a  detachment  to  make 
their  way  to  the  Plank  Road  by  the  road  we  had  come. 
When  half-way,  they  were  fired  upon  from  skirmishers  in 
the  woods,  and  finally  ran  into  the  enemy's  infantry,  in 
column,  and  were  driven  back.  I  immediately  formed  the 
Sixth  New  York  in  line,  facing  the  road,  reported  the  facts 
to  General  Whipple,  who  ordered  his  skirmishers  to  the 
front,  and  to  General  Birney  as  soon  as  he  came  upon  the 
field.  I  then  retired  my  command  into  the  hollow  in  rear  of 
the  line,  where  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  reported  to 
me.  I  was  ordered  by  General  Sickles  to  post  vedettes 
around  the  skirt  of  woods  that  encompassed  the  position.  I 
assigned  this  duty  to  the  Sixth  New  York.  I  had  previously 
thrown  out  pickets  on  the  extreme  left,  near  General  Birney's 
former  position.  In  the  meantime  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania 
(which  command  I  had  left  on  the  field  with  General  Plea 
sonton)  had  been  sent  to  the  support  of  General  Howard, 
and,  finding  his  line  of  battle  broken  and  retired  to  their 
rear,  had  charged  down  on  the  enemy's  lines  between  them 
and  the  brick  house,  which  they  succeeded  in  reaching, 
losing  Major  Keenan,  Captain  Arrowsmith,  Adjutant  Had- 

42 


ORGANIZATION  AND  EARLY  HISTORY 

dock  and  about  thirty  men  and  eighty  horses.  The  charge 
however,  had  the  effect  of  disordering  and  checking  the 
enemy  at  that  point.  The  regiment  then  formed  as  provost 
in  front  of  the  brick  house,  where  it  remained  for  the  night. 
The  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  had,  by  order  of  General 
Pleasanton,  been  formed  in  support  of  the  batteries  with 
which  he  had  driven  back  the  enemy's  advance  after  the 
Eleventh  Corps  had  broken.  Their  steadiness  under  the 
severe  fire  elicited  much  commendation. 

"Early  on  the  morning  of  the  3d,  I  was  ordered  by  Major- 
General  Sickles  to  hold  my  command  in  readiness  to  cover 
the  movement  of  his  column  from  the  field.  I  drew  in  my 
vedettes  and  awaited  the  movement.  The  fire  became  very 
hot,  and  working  around  to  my  right  and  rear,  I  formed  the 
two  regiments  (Sixth  New  York  and  Seventeenth  Pennsyl 
vania)  in  the  hollow  on  the  left  of  the  battle-line,  but  the 
fire  from  the  front,  right,  and  left  had  by  this  time  become 
so  concentrated  on  the  position  that  it  was  useless  to  look 
for  cover,  and  my  men  began  to  drop  fast,  although  the 
line  was  steady  as  a  rock.  At  this  moment  I  was  ordered 
to  report  to  General  Hooker  with  my  command.  I  succeed 
ed,  with  some  difficulty,  in  saving  my  pickets  in  the  woods 
on  the  extreme  left,  bringing  them  in  when  nearly  surround 
ed  and  under  a  heavy  fire.  On  reporting  to  General  Hooker, 
I. was  ordered  to  form  my  command  as  skirmishers  in  rear 
of  the  line  of  battle,  and  to  prevent  any  stragglers  passing 
through.  This  position  I  maintained  until  the  change  of 
front  at  the  White  House,  where  I  formed  a  new  line,  which 
was  maintained  until  the  close  of  the  action. 

"About  nightfall,  the  general  commanding  the  division 
ordered  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  to  cross  the  United 
States  Ford  and  supply  themselves  with  rations  and  forage. 
I  remained  with  the  Sixth  New  York,  bivouacked  in  rear  of 
the  line  of  battle.  The  squadron  of  the  Sixth  New  York, 
which  had  been  picketing  Ely's  Ford,  here  reported.  They 
had  been  completely  cut  off  from  our  army,  and  had  to 
fight  their  way  through  the  enemy's  skirmishers  to  our  lines, 
losing  several  men  and  horses.  They  only  came  in  by  di- 

43 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

rection  of  the  field  officer  in  command  of  outposts  on  that 
line. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  4th  instant,  I  was  ordered  to  re 
port  to  division  headquarters,  when  I  was  directed  to  place 
the  Eighth  and  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  in  camp.  The 
Eighth  had  on  the  previous  day  been  picketing  from  Hart- 
wood  to  Kelly's  Ford. 

"On  the  morning  of  the  5th  instant,  the  brigade  was  or 
dered  to  Falmouth,  where  it  encamped  the  same  night. 

"The  regimental  commanders,  Colonel  Kellogg,  Major 
Huey,  and  Captain  Beardsley,  were  cool,  prompt,  and  ready 
in  carrying  out  my  orders,  and  in  no  one  case  failed  in  their 
execution  while  under  my  command." 

Because  of  the  heavy  rains  that  followed  immediately 
after  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  causing  the  Rappahan- 
nock  River  to  overflow  its  banks,  and  the  regiment  being 
among  the  last  troops  to  cross,  with  portions  of  the  pontoon 
bridge  washed  away,  we  experienced  great  difficulty  in  re- 
crossing  the  river.  Both  men  and  horses  were  thoroughly 
drenched  and  covered  with  mud.  We  were  not  permitted  to 
build  any  fires  during  the  night,  and  the  men  were  in  great 
distress.  The  following  day,  May  5th,  the  entire  brigade 
marched  to  Falmouth  where  we  occupied,  virtually  the  same 
camp  we  had  left  about  one  week  previous. 

THE  MARCH  INTO  MARYLAND  AND  PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  defeats  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at  the  battles 
of  Fredericksburg  and  Chancellorsville,  no  doubt  was  a  great 
inspiration  to  the  Confederate  Army  of  Northern  Virginia, 
so  much  so  that,  almost  immediately  after  the  latter  battle, 
General  Robert  E.  Lee  assumed  the  offensive  by  moving 
out  of  his  strongly  fortified  position  in  front  of  Fredericks- 
burg,  demonstrating  on  General  Joseph  Hooker's  right  and 
threatening  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania. 

To  ascertain  the  intentions  of  General  Lee,  General 
Hooker  sent  the  First  and  Second  Cavalry  Divisions,  under 
command  of  General  Alfred  Pleasonton,  up  the  Rappahan- 
nock  River  to  reconnoiter. 

The   First   Division,   under   command   of   General   John 

44 


ORGANIZATION  AND   EARLY  HISTORY 

Buford  crossed  at  Beverly  Ford.  They  found  the  Rebels  in 
force,  first  their  cavalry  and  later  their  infantry.  The  author 
remembers  distinctly  having  been  detailed  as  bugler  at  bri 
gade  headquarters  that  day.  He  followed  Colonel  Thomas 
C.  Devin,  who  commanded  the  brigade,  all  day.  The  bri 
gade  steadily  pushed  back  the  Rebel  cavalry,  until  we  reach 
ed  a  point  where  our  troops  were  confronted  by  the  Rebel 
infantry  and  our  further  advances  were  stubbornly  resisted. 
It  was  reported  to  Colonel  Devin  that  his  troops  were  facing 
the  Rebel  infantry.  Seemingly  Colonel  Devin  did  not  believe 
there  were  any  Rebel  infantry  in  that  vicinity,  so,  to  satisfy 
himself,  he  asked  his  staff  to  remain  in  the  rear  and,  select 
ing  one  of  his  staff  officers  together  with  the  author,  he  rode 
out  on  the  skirmish  line  to  ascertain  for  himself  the  truth 
fulness  of  the  report.  The  Sixth  New  York  was  on  the 
skirmish  line,  while  the  Ninth  New  York  and  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  were  in  support. 

As  we  emerged  from  the  woods  into  an  open  space  or  field 
where  our  mounted  skirmishers  were  deployed,  it  was  clearly 
discovered  that  our  troops  were  confronted  with  a  heavy 
line  of  infantry,  who,  with  weapons  of  a  longer  range  than 
that  of  our  carbines,  were  dismounting  our  men  at  a  fear 
ful  rate,  whilst  they  were  unable  to  inflict  any  punishment 
upon  the  enemy.  As  Colonel  Devin  approached  the  skirmish 
line,  he  at  once  became  the  target  for  the  Rebel  sharp 
shooters  and,  the  way  the  minnie  balls  were  whizzing  around 
him,  it  was  the  next  thing  to  a  miracle  that  he  was  not 
killed.  One  of  the  skirmishers  hailed  him  and  said,  "Colo 
nel,  this  is  no  place  for  you."  He  replied  by  saying,  "Those 
fellows  across  the  ravine  could  not  hit  an  elephant  if  they 
would  try."  The  skirmish  line  was  immediately  withdrawn. 
The  Rebel  infantry  advanced  in  force  and  our  lines  were 
overpowered.  In  this  engagement  the  Seventeenth  Regi 
ment,  supporting  one  of  our  batteries  most  of  the  time,  was 
under  fire  all  day;  and,  in  retiring,  was  the  extreme  rear 
guard. 

In  recrossing  the  ford  it  was  subjected  to  a  heavy  artillery 
fire  from  the  enemy's  guns.  In  this  engagement  the  regi 
ment  lost  its  first  commissioned  officer,  Major  Isaac  Wal- 

45 

4— 17th   R. 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

burn,  surgeon-in-chief  of  the  regiment  who  was  struck  by 
the  fragment  of  an  exploded  shell.  Because  of  the  faithful 
performance  of  his  arduous  duties,  especially  during  the 
"Muddy  Stafford"  campaign,  he  was  held  in  very  high  es 
teem  by  the  regiment  arid  his  loss  was  deeply  regretted. 

On  the  eleventh  of  June,  1863,  the  regiment  was  assigned 
to  picket  the  line  of  the  Rappahannock  from  Beverly  Ford 
to  Sulphur  Springs,  while  the  main  body  of  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  was  marching  northward.  Company  E,  to 
which  the  author  belonged,  had  its  headquarters  about  a 
quarter  of  a  mile  in  the  rear  of  Sulphur  Springs  Hotel,  a 
fashionable  summer  resort,  our  pickets  guarding  the  bridge 
across  the  river.  Our  relations  here  with  the  "Johnnies"  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  were  quite  friendly,  and  to 
bacco,  coffee  and  newspapers  were  exchanged. 

Judging  from  the  elaborate  quarters  and  surroundings, 
Sulphur  Springs,  must  have  been  a  charming  health  and 
summer  resort  during  its  palmy  days.  It  was  now  in  charge 
of  a  few  colored  servants  who  told  us  that  the  men  had  all 
gone  to  war  and  that  the  ladies  were  staying  in  Richmond 
until  the  war  was  over.  While  Sergeant  Martin  Wike  and 
the  author  walked  down  to  the  lower  end  of  the  court  where 
the  medicinal  spring  is  located,  surrounded  by  bowers  of 
shrubbery  and  beautiful  walks,  the  sergeant  remarked  "How 
kind  of  Uncle  Sam,  after  our  strenuous  service  in  'Muddy 
Stafford',  to  send  us  to  this  beautiful  summer  resort  to  re 
cuperate  our  health."  After  a  drink  from  the  spring,  the 
water  of  which  tasted  too  sulphuric  to  satisfy  the  palate  of  a 
thirsty  soldier,  we  looked  the  place  over  carefully  and  con 
cluded  that  from  the  eighteen  dollars  and  the  thirteen 
dollars  per  month  we  were  receiving  respectively  from  Uncle 
Sam,  we  could  possibly  save  enough  money  to  buy  the  place 
after  the  war,  and  make  it  our  future  home. 

On  the  night  of  June  15,  1863,  our  picket  line  was  quietly 
withdrawn  from  the  Rappahannock  River,  and  thus  our 
regiment  became  the  extreme  rear  guard  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  The  night  was  exceedingly  dark ;  and,  after  we 
struck  the  trail  over  which  General  Hooker's  army  had 
passed  just  a  short  time  before,  the  dust  must  have  been 

46 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

five  or  six  inches  deep.  The  dust  added  to  the  darkness,  and 
made  it  almost  impossible  for  any  one  to  see  his  file  leader, 
and  thus  the  column  would  occasionally  get  either  jumbled 
up  or  separated  so  that  it  became  necessary  for  the  men  to 
hail  one  another  to  keep  in  line.  It  was  a  forced  march  to 
Catlett's  Station,  where  we  made  a  short  halt,  and  sent  out 
several  reconnoitering  squads  to  ascertain  whether  there 
were  any  Rebel  cavalry  in  the  vicinity.  Finding  the  coast 
clear,  we  continued  the  march. 

After  several  days  and  nights  of  forced  marching,  through 
more  dust,  we  caught  up  with  the  rear  of  General  Hooker's 
army  in  the  vicinity  of  Middleburg,  Va.,  and,  on  June  17, 
1863,  before  we  had  time  to  rest,  we  became  involved  in  a 
skirmish  with  the  Rebel  cavalry  at  Aldie,  and,  on  the  twenty- 
first,  again  at  Upperville,  where  a  more  determined  stand 
was  taken  by  the  enemy.  Here  the  engagement  became 
general.  While  the  regiment  was  occupying  an  advanced 
position,  waiting  for  the  support  to  be  drawn  in  line  of  battle, 
it  was  in  direct  line  of  a  heavy  artillery  fire  from  the  enemy. 
While  in  this  position,  an  orderly  approached  Colonel  Josiah 
H.  Kellogg,  and,  with  the  compliments  of  Colonel  Thomas 
C.  Devin,  commanding  our  brigade,  ordered  him  to  charge 
that  Rebel  battery  over  yonder,  pointing  in  the  direction 
where  the  battery  was  stationed,  which  was  in  our  front 
somewhat  to  the  left  beyond  an  apple  orchard.  The  vicinity 
was  full  of  stone  walls ;  and,  as  we  came  around  the  orchard, 
we  were  confronted  by  one.  Before  the  regiment  could 
form  in  line,  it  was  obliged  to  march  some  distance  up  a 
narrow  lane,  with  stone  walls  on  either  side,  until  it  reached 
a  suitable  place  to  get  into  the  open  field. 

Just  as  fast  as  the  companies  got  through  this  opening 
they  formed  right  into  line  for  the  charge.  The  artillery  fire 
was  so  hot  that,  before  the  entire  regiment  got  into  line,  the 
right  started  off  with  a  yell,  before  the  command  to  charge 
was  given.  The  Rebel  battery,  evidently  without  sufficient 
support,  immediately  limbered  to  the  rear,  and  we  failed  to 
capture  it.  While  the  regiment  was  being  formed  for  the 
charge  Captain  William  Tice's  favorite  horse  "Jim,"  the 
finest  horse  in  the  regiment,  was  struck  by  a  shell,  right  in 

47 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

front  of  his  Company,  "E,"  The  shell  cut  the  captain's 
sabre  in  two.  The  shell  and  sabre  are  rare  relics  among 
his  descendants. 

The  following  day  the  regiment  participated  in  an  engage 
ment  with  the  Rebel  cavalry  at  Goose  Creek  in  which  the 
enemy  was  again  defeated.  As  my  memory  serves  me  now, 
this  was  the  last  of  a  series  of  engagements  in  this  campaign 
on  Virginia  soil.  We  crossed  the  Potomac  River  at  Ed 
ward's  Ferry  into  Maryland.  Conditions  now  were  differ 
ent.  We  felt  that  we  were  once  more  in  God's  country.  The 
people  were  patriotic,  cheering  and  encouraging  us  in  many 
ways.  We  knew  not  where  we  were  going,  except  that  we 
were  going  northward,  every  moment  expecting  to  meet  the 
Confederate  army.  We  felt  confident  that  a  pitched  battle, 
on  northern  soil,  would  result  in  a  glorious  victory  for  the 
Union  army.  The  men  who  had  been  fighting  the  enemy 
behind  breastworks,  were  eager  and  anxious  to  meet  the 
foe  in  open  field  with  at  least  equal  chances.  About  this 
time  too  we  received  the  news  that  General  George  G.  Meade 
had  succeeded  General  Joseph  Hooker  as  commander  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac.  There  were  different  opinions  among 
the  men  as  to  the  advisability  of  this  change  at  this  time. 

As  we  crossed  the  boundary  line  between  Maryland  and 
Pennsylvania,  one  of  the  guidon  carriers  of  Company  G, 
of  our  regiment,  was  stationed  at  the  line  making  the  an 
nouncement  to  each  company  as  they  approached,  that  they 
\vere,  at  that  point,  entering  upon  Pennsylvania  soil.  The 
boys  raised  their  caps  and  lustily  cheered,  again  and  again, 
for  the  old  Keystone  State  and  Old  Glory. 

On  June  29,  1863,  the  regiment  encamped  for  the  first 
time,  since  it  left  Harrisburg,  on  Pennsylvania  soil,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Waynesboro,  in  sight  of  the  homes  of  many  of 
the  members  of  Company  G.  A  request  was  made  to 
Colonel  Josiah  H.  Kellogg  to  permit  the  men  of  Company 
G,  to  visit  their  homes  during  the  night,  which  request  was 
granted,  however,  only  upon  condition  that  every  member  of 
the  company  would  be  present  again  at  roll  call  the  follow 
ing  morning.  Captain  L.  B.  Kurtz  commanding  the  com 
pany  vouched  for  the  men,  and,  to  the  credit  of  the  company, 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

it  could  be  truthfully  said  that  every  member  of  the  com 
pany  was  present  for  duty  and  answered  roll  call  the  next 
morning.  It  was  in  this  same  camp  that,  early  the  following 
morning,  an  old  Pennsylvania  farmer  and  his  daughter 
drove  into  our  camp  with  a  one  horse  spring  wagon  and 
handed  out  loaves  of  bread  and  cakes,  free  of  charge,  say 
ing  he  and  his  wife  and  daughter  stayed  up  all  night  and 
baked  them  for  the  soldiers.  "They  are  yours,"  he  con 
tinued,  "you  are  welcome  to  them.  I  wish  I  had  more  to 
give  you."  The  boys  doffed  their  caps  and  thanked  the 
donors.  Then  some  one  proposed  three  cheers  for  the  old 
farmer,  another  proposed  three  cheers  for  his  wife,  and  still 
another  proposed  three  cheers  for  the  daughter.  It  is  need 
less  to  say  that  in  less  time  than  it  takes  to  tell  this  little  inci 
dent,  the  bread  and  cakes  were  all  distributed.  The  old  far 
mer  said,  if  we  would  remain  until  next  morning,  he  would 
come  again  with  more  bread  and  cakes ;  but,  before  he  left 
camp,  "Boots  and  Saddles"  sounded,  and  we  parted,  he  no 
doubt  for  his  home,  and  the  regiment  in  the  direction  of 
Gettysburg  where  we  arrived  about  four  o'clock  in  the  after 
noon  of  June  30,  1863. 

When  the  army  was  on  a  move,  commands  usually  would 
march  alternately.  On  June  30,  1863,  the  Seventeenth  Penn 
sylvania  Cavalry  was  the  leading  regiment  in  our  division  and 
was  the  first  command  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  enter 
Gettysburg.  Upon  our  arrival,  the  few  scattered  Confeder 
ate  troops  in  the  vicinity  withdrew,  without  showing  fight, 
and  we  were  in  possession  of  the  town.  The  citizens  cheer 
ed  us  greatly  and  gave  us  other  substantial  evidences  that 
we  were  welcome. 

We  remained  in  the  town  only  a  short  time,  and  then 
moved  out  the  Mummasburg  Road  just  beyond  Pennsylva 
nia  College  and  went  into  camp  for  the  night.  A  strong  picket 
reserve  was  established  on  Seminary  Ridge  with  post  vedettes 
advanced  on  the  Mummasburg  Road  as  far  as  the  Forney 
residence.  Squads  of  men  of  the  companies  were  permitted 
to  go  into  the  town  for  subsistence,  and  they  not  only  re 
turned  with  liberal  donations,  but  the  citizens  later  visited 
our  camp  and  gratuitously  brought  more  provisions  than 

49 


ORGANIZATION  AND  EARLY  HISTORY 

the  men  could  eat.  Soft  bread,  'biscuits,  pies,  cakes,  meats,  jel 
lies,  preserves,  fruit  and  all  kinds  of  delicacies,  was  a  happy 
change  from  the  menu  of  "hardtack  and  salt  pork"  furnished 
by  Uncle  Sam,  which  was  greatly  relished  by  the  men,  re 
gardless  of  the  probable  results  the  following  day.  If  the 
dreams  of  the  men  that  night  could  be  reproduced  they 
would,  no  doubt,  make  a  larger  and  possibly  more  interest 
ing  volume  than  the  author's  history  of  the  regiment. 

Early  the  next  morning,  July  i,  1863,  the  Rebels  advanced 
and  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  opened.  The  regiment  -was 
hurriedly  formed  on  Seminary  Ridge,  to  the  left  of  the 
Mummasburg  Road,  with  the  skirmishers  advanced  a 
short  distance  beyond  the  Forney  buildings.  The  regiment 
being  mounted  and  in  an  open  field  it  was  a  good  target  for 
a  Rebel  battery  which  was  shelling  us  vigorously.  The  men 
were  dismounted  and  the  horses  sent  to  the  rear.  The  Rebel 
infantry  advanced  with  superior  numbers,  and  we  were 
forced  back  behind  a  stone  wall  which  afforded  good  protec 
tion.  In  this  position  we  repulsed  several  charges  made  by 
the  enemy  and,  for  several  hours,  we  gallantly  checked 
every  attempt  to  dislodge  us,  until  we  were  relieved  by  troops 
of  the  First  Corps. 

General  Alfred  Pleasonton  in  his  official  report  on  the 
Gettysburg  campaign  says,  "Buford,  with  his  four  thousand 
cavalry,  attacked  Hill  and  for  four  hours  splendidly  resisted 
his  advance,  until  Generals  Reynolds  and  Howard  were  able 
to  hurry  to  the  field  and  give  their  assistance.  To  the  in 
trepidity,  courage  and  fidelity  of  General  Buford  and  his 
brave  division,  the  country  and  the  army  owe  the  field  of 
Gettysburg." 

After  being  relieved  by  the  infantry,  the  regiment,  with 
the  remainder  of  the  division,  was  sent  out  the  York  Pike 
to  protect  General  Meade's  right  flank.  While  thus  re- 
connoitering,  one  of  our  own  batteries  on  Cemetery  Hill, 
took  the  regiment  for  an  advancing  Rebel  column  and  open 
ed  fire  on  us.  Before  much  damage  was  done,  the  blunder 
was  discovered,  and  we  retired,  with  the  Eleventh  Corps, 
through  the  town,  late  in  the  afternoon ;  and,  with  the  bri 
gade,  formed  a  new  line  in  the  rear  of  the  batteries  which 

50 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

had  shelled  us,  with  the  right  of  the  line  resting  on  the  town. 
Some  time  during  the  night,  the  regiment,  with  the  brigade, 
moved  out  the  Emmetsburg  Road,  and  formed  in  line  of 
companies  to  the  left  of  the  road,  a  short  distance  in  the 
rear  of  the  Peach  Orchard,  with  orders  to  stand  to  horse. 
Early  on  the  morning  of  July  2d,  the  regiment  advanced 
some  distance  beyond  the  crossroads,  through  the  Peach 
Orchard,  and  engaged  the  Rebel  infantry.  The  regiment 
made  several  charges  but  was  repulsed  each  time. 

In  the  meantime  the  Third  Corps  formed  in  line  of  battle 
in  our  rear,  when  we  were  withdrawn  and  formed  on  the 
left  of  the  Third  Corps,  extending  the  line  through 
the  Wheatfield  to  Little  Round  Top  until  again  relieved  by 
the  infantry.  Some  time  during  the  afternoon,  the  entire 
First  Division  of  the  Cavalry  Corps  was  withdrawn  from 
the  field  and  ordered  to  Taneytown  where  we  bivouacked  for 
the  night ;  and  the  next  day,  July  3d,  marched  to  Westmins 
ter,  Md.,  to  protect  General  Meade's  supply  train.  On  July 
5th,  our  division  started  from  Westminster  for  Frederick 
City,  Md.,  where  we  drew  supplies  and  bivouacked  for  the 
night.  The  next  morning,  at  four  o'clock,  we  left  Fred 
erick  City,  going  in  the  direction  of  Boonesboro  and  Wil- 
liamsport. 

All  the  available  Federal  cavalry  was  now  concentrated  at 
Frederick  City,  evidently  for  the  purpose  of  demonstrating 
in  force  to  destroy  General  Lee's  supply  train  supposed  to 
be  at  Williamsport.  The  commands  left  Frederick  City, 
July  6th,  at  4  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and,  by  a  forced 
march,  reached  Saint  Mary's  College  about  five  in  the  after 
noon,  where  the  enemy  was  discovered  in  sufficient  force  to 
prevent  the  Union  forces  from  accomplishing  their  purpose. 
In  this  engagement  the  Second  Brigade  of  General  John 
Buford's  Division,  to  which  our  regiment  belonged,  was 
held  in  reserve  and  did  not  participate  in  the  fight;  but, 
after  the  fight  was  over  it  was  moved  forward  and  relieved 
the  troops  that  were  engaged,  with  instructions  to  hold  the 
ground  at  all  hazard.  The  enemy  were  reinforced  during 
the  night,  and  the  next  morning  we  were  obliged  to  fall  back. 
General  Buford  in  his  official  report  on  this  fight  says,  "The 

Si 


ORGANIZATION   AND  EARLY  HISTORY 

enemy  was  too  strong  for  me,  but  he  was  severely  punished 
for  his  obstinacy  His  casualties  more  than  quadrupled 
mine.  The  officers  and  men  behaved  with  their  usual  cour 
age,  displaying  great  unwillingness  to  fall  back,  and  re 
quiring  repeated  orders  before  they  did  so." 

On  July  7th,  the  division  moved  to  Boonesboro,  and  went 
into  camp.  July  8th,  the  enemy  drove  in  our  pickets  and  the 
righting  lasted  until  about  6  p.  m.,  during  which  time  the 
enemy  was  driven  back  about  four  miles. 

Colonel  Thomas  0.  Devin,  commanding  our  brigade,  re 
ferring  to  this  and  the  following  day's  engagement  says,  "I 
was  ordered,  at  7  p.  m.,  to  relieve  the  First  Brigade, 
then  engaged  on  the  left  front,  and,  at  dark,  to  retire  my 
command  again  to  the  woods,  which  I  was  to  hold  until 
daylight  to  enable  the  other  brigades  to  retire  on  a  suitable 
position  near  the  crossroads.  Retiring,  as  ordered,  I  with 
drew  my  skirmishers  to  a  line  five  hundred  yards  in  advance 
of  my  position,  and  connecting  with  the  woods  at  the  same 
distance  on  each  flank,  completely  covering  the  road.  About 
midnight,  the  enemy  advanced  on  my  front  and  engaged  the 
skirmishers.  He  was  repulsed  and  soon  retired.  Just  at 
daybreak,  I  made  a  demonstration  on  the  enemy's  front  by 
charging  down  with  a  squadron  of  the  Sixth  New  York, 
driving  in  his  skirmishers  and  pickets  on  the  reserve,  and 
throwing  them  into  confusion,  under  cover  of  which  move 
ment  I  withdrew  the  main  body  one  mile  to  the  rear,  taking 
up  a  position  in  front  of  the  road  running  from  Hagerstown 
to  Sharpsburg.  After  retiring  about  two  and  a  half  miles, 
I  was  ordered  to  halt,  rest  men  and  horses,  strongly  picket 
the  roads  to  the  rear,  and,  if  possible,  hold  the  position  until 
the  division  of  General  Kilpatrick  and  the  two  brigades  of 
General  Buford's  division  had  crossed  Antietam  Creek. 
About  ii  a.  m.,  the  enemy  appeared  in  force  in  our 
rear  with  infantry  and  artillery.  I  immediately  ordered  up 
the  Ninth  New  York  to  hold  him  in  check,  and  sent  an 
orderly  to  notify  General  Buford.  As  soon  as  I  ascertained 
that  the  rear  of  General  Buford's  column  was  crossing 
Antietam  Bridge,  I  ordered  Colonel  Sackett  to  fall  back 
on  the  brigade. 

52 


ORGANIZATION   AND   EARLY   HISTORY 

"I  then  took  up  the  line  of  march,  and  closely  pressing  my 
rear,  under  Colonel  Sackett,  who  fell  back  fighting,  his  men 
behaving  splendidly,  making  a  stand  at  every  favorable  point, 
and  often  repulsing  and  punishing  the  enemy's  sharpshooters. 
On  arriving  near  the  creek,  I  dismounted  two  squadrons, of 
the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  and  posted  them  on  the  hill 
commanding  the  bridge,  intending  to  give  the  enemy  a  warm 
reception.  He  was,  however,  too  cautious  to  approach  the 
creek,  which  we  crossed  unmolested,  and  joined  the  division. 
The  next  morning  July  8th,  the  enemy  advanced  in  force 
down  the  Hagerstown  Turnpike.  I  formed  the  brigade  in 
line  of  battle  along  the  crest  in  my  front.  I  also  deployed 
two  squadrons  to  the  front  as  skirmishers.  In  the  mean 
time  my  skirmishers  had  been  more  or  less  engaged,  but 
about  2  p.  m.,  the  enemy  being  reinforced,  a  determined 
and  vigorous  attack  was  made  on  my  position.  I  was  forced 
to  dismount  the  whole  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  and 
Sixth  New  York  which  held  the  enemy  with  varying  success, 
sometimes  being  forced  back  and  again  regaining  their  lost 
ground.  I  was  obliged  to  relieve  those  engaged  with  others 
as  their  ammunition  became  expended,  so  that,  by  half  past 
5  o'clock,  my  whole  command  had  been  engaged,  and  I 
had  not  a  dozen  cartridges  left.  I  was  therefore  obliged  to 
retire  the  brigade,  after  notifying  General  Kilpatrick  of  my 
action.  Our  men  behaved  splendidly,  holding  and  even  driv 
ing  the  enemy  with  their  pistols  after  their  carbine  ammuni 
tion  was  expended." 

Late  in  the  afternoon  of  July  Qth,  the  regiment  again 
participated  in  an  engagement  in  the  vicinity  of  Boonesboro 
in  which  the  enemy  was  driven  for  about  two  miles,  until 
darkness  rendered  further  pursuit  useless.  Early  the  fol 
lowing  morning,  July  loth,  we  were  again  in  motion  and  soon 
became  engaged  with  the  enemy,  and  after  a  sharp  fight, 
drove  them  across  Antietam  Creek,  in  the  vicinity  of  Funks- 
town.  Here  the  enemy  was  found  to  be  in  force,  and  we 
were  relieved  by  the  Sixth  Corps,  and  retired  to  Beaver 
Creek  where  we  bivouacked  for  the  night.  The  following 
day  the  regiment  marched,  with  the  First  and  Second  Bri 
gades  of  our  division,  to  Bakersville  where  we  went  into 

53 


ORGANIZATION  AND   EARLY  HISTORY 

camp  and  remained  until  July  I4th,  when  we  again  advanced, 
feeling  the  enemy's  position.  When  we  approached  the 
enemy's  works,  they  were  found  abandoned.  We  continued 
the  advance  and  soon  met  the  rearguard  of  General  Lee's 
retreating  army  near  Falling  Waters. 

Upon  reaching  the  crest  of  the  hill  near  the  ford,  a  Rebel 
battery,  stationed  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  opened 
fire  on  us,  and  the  regiment  was  dismounted  and  deployed  as 
skirmishers.  But  the  Rebels  had  covered  their  retreat  so 
effectually  that  we  could  not  inflict  any  punishment  upon 
them  at  this  point.  This  was  the  last  of  a  series  of  engage 
ments  on  soil  north  of  the  Potomac  River  which  ended  so 
disastrously  to  the  Confederate  cause. 

I  have  quoted  somewhat  extensively  from  official  reports 
so  as  to  give  the  fullest  and  most  reliable  information  con 
cerning  these  movements.  In  all  engagements  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  did  its  share  of  the  fighting 
and  sustaining  its  proportionate  losses  with  its  associate 
commands.  Colonel  Thomas  C.  Devin  in  his  report  says : 
"Throughout  the  whole  of  these  sharp  engagements,  the  men 
have  behaved  like  veterans,  not  a  single  instance  of  misbe 
havior,  having  been  brought  to  my  notice.  The  officers  were 
also  prompt,  brave,  and  efficient  in  the  execution  of  their 
duties."  On  July  I5th  we  marched  to  Berlin,  on  the  i6th 
to  Petersville,  and  on  the  i8th  recrossed  the  Potomac  River 
at  Berlin,  and  were  once  more  upon  Virginia  soil,  encamp 
ing  for  the  night  near  Purcellville.  July  i6th,  the  march 
was  continued  through  the  Loudon  Valley  and  we  bivouack 
ed  for  the  night  on  Goose  Creek  near  Rector's  Cross  Roads. 
On  the  22d  of  July,  our  brigade  moved  to  Barbee's  Cross 
Roads,  and,  on  the  26th,  to  near  Warrenton,  where  we  got 
a  short  rest. 


54 


THE  SEVENTEENTH  PENNSYLVANIA 

CAVALRY  IN  THE  GETTYSBURG 

CAMPAIGN. 

BY  THEODORE  W.   BEAN,   BREVET  LIEUTENANT-COLONEL. 

The  part  taken  by  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry 
in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  begins  with  its  march  to  that 
famous  field.  It  was  the  only  Pennsylvania  regiment  that 
participated  in  the  severe  engagement  which  took  place  on 
the  early  morning  of  July  ist  between  the  First  and  Second 
Brigades  of  the  First  Cavalry  Division  of  the  Cavalry  Corps, 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  supported  by  Tidball's  Battery 
(Second  United  States  Horse  Artillery),  and  the  advance 
of  Generals  Hill  and  Ewell's  Corps  of  the  Confederate  army 
on  the  Cashtown  and  Carlisle  roads,  both  converging  at  the 
town  of  Gettysburg. 

We  left  the  lower  Rappahannock  on  the  /th,  passing 
through  Stafford  County,  where  we  found  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  on  the  move.  Near  Stafford  Court  House  the  com 
mand  received  rations,  forage  and  ammunition,  and  at  dawn 
of  the  following  day  moved  with  the  cavalry  corps,  taking 
position  on  the  upper  Rappahannock  under  cover  of  the 
night — the  First  Division,  commanded  by  Brigadier  General 
John  Buford,  at  Beverly  Ford,  and  the  Second  Division, 
commanded  by  Brigadier  General  David  Me  M.  Gregg,  at 
Kelley's  Ford,  the  corps  commanded  by  Major  General  Al 
fred  Pleasonton.  General  Joseph  Hooker,  then  command 
ing  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  had  reason  to  suspect  that 
General  Lee  was  concentrating  his  army  in  Culpepper  Coun 
ty  preparatory  to  invading  the  North ;  hence  the  entire  cav 
alry  force  was  massed  to  make  a  reconnoissance  in  force, 
supported  by  two  brigades  of  infantry.  The  movement  re 
sulted  in  what  is  known  in  history  as  the  battle  of  Beverly 
Ford,  and  by  Confederate  writers  spoken  of  as  Fleetwood. 
It  occurred  on  the  pth  of  June,  1863,  and  bears  an  import 
ant  relation  to  events  leading  up  to  Gettysburg. 

55 


THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN 

Pleasonton  obtained  important  information  upon  cross 
ing  the  river  at  5  o'clock  a.  m.,  and  pushed  his  reconnois- 
sance  on  toward  Brandy  Station,  and,  after  a  day's  active 
operations,  retired  to  the  north  bank  of  the  river  about  sun 
set.  The  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  supported  the 
artillery  of  the  First  Division  during  the  entire  day,  and  in 
returning  it  covered  the  passage  of  all  the  troops  and  trans 
portation  at  the  ford. 


REGIMENTAL  FORMATION. 


ist  Battalion 


2d  Battalion 


3d  Battalion 


ist 
Sq'd. 

<    O 


2d 

Sq'd. 


3d 


4th 
Sq'd. 


U    ^ 


•a 


2 


3  u 

c    , 


5th 
Sq'd. 

W    .-4 


6th 
Sq'd. 


o 
U 

VH  O 

«     U 


S1 


M    fe 


c/2 


m    _j 


u 

d    *H 
O     S 

c     >> 

§    > 

o3        c 

Si 


II 


Note.  —  Companies  H  and  D  were  on  detached  duty  at  Fifth 
Corps  Headquarters  during  the  Gettysburg  campaign,  Companies 
B  and  H  serving  together  in  squadron  in  the  interval. 


INCIDENTS  OF  MARCH  AND  CAMP. 

I  recall  an  incident  which  occurred  about  half  a  mile  from 
the  ford  while  the  line  of  mounted  skirmishers  were  falling 
back,  holding  their  pursuers  at  bay.  Colonel  Kellogg,  sur 
rounded  by  his  staff,  was  directing  the  movement,  Dr.  Isaac 
Walburn,  surgeon  of  the  regiment,  being  one  of  the  party. 
The  group  of  officers  had  turned  toward  the  ford  and  were 
slowly  riding  in  that  direction.  The  enemy  were  using 
their  artillery  from  the  crested  hills  and  firing  shot  at  long 
range.  A  twelve-pounder  struck  the  ground  some  fifty 
yards  in  the  rear  of  the  party,  and,  ricochetting,  struck  Dr. 
Walburn  between  the  shoulders,  then  falling  to  the  ground. 

56 


THE   GETTYSBURG   CAMPAIGN 

It  seemed  incredible  that  a  human  body  could  stop  a  solid 
shot  moving  with  its  velocity  and  not  be  instantly  killed. 
While  the  doctor  was  badly  hurt  and  rendered  unfit  for 
further  service  during  the  war,  he  survived  for  many  years. 
Lee  moved  with  100,000  men  from  Culpepper  down  the 
Shenandoah  Valley.  Hooker  moved  on  a  corresponding 
line  northward  with  an  army  and  supports  equal  in  num 
bers.  Between  these  great  columns  was  the  field  of  the  cav 
alry.  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  with  10,000  horsemen,  was 
charged  to  cover  the  marching  flank  of  his  great  chief. 
Pleasonton,  with  an  equal  number,  was  given  similar  orders. 
The  marching  flanks  of  these  contending  hosts  were  twenty 
miles  apart.  Loudon  Valley  and  the  Blue  Ridge  Moun 
tains,  with  open  country  and  good,  broad  highways  leading 
over  the  mountain  into  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  lay  between 
them.  This  was  the  disputed  ground  from  the  Rappahan- 
nock  to  the  Potomac.  The  fight  at  Aldie,  on  June  i7th,  re 
sulted  in  heavy  losses  on  both  sides,  while  that  which  oc 
curred  at  Middletown,  in  the  Loudon  Valley,  on  the  2ist, 
engaging  the  whole  mounted  force  of  both  Pleasonton  and 
Stuart,  was  of  the  most  sanguinary  character.  From  the 
6th  of  June  to  the  23d,  the  time  of  crossing  the  Potomac 
at  Edwards'  Ferry,  these  troops  were  actively  engaged,  with 
only  such  rest  as  could  be  secured  at  intervals,  resulting 
from  midnight  truces  to  this  continuous  service.  I  remem 
ber  one  of  the  most  pitiful  scenes  of  the  war  during  this 
period.  It  occurred  near  Cattlet's  Station,  on  the  Orange 
and  Alexandria  Railroad.  The  division  had  been  marching 
and  picketing  for  almost  a  week  with  no  rest  for  man  or 
beast.  They  had  marched  all  night  to  reach  this  point  on 
the  railroad  for  necessary  supplies.  The  column  halted  be 
fore  the  light  of  day  with  orders  to  "dismount  and  stand  to 
horse."  The  ever-vigilant  enemy  were  known  to  be  near. 
We  were  covering  important  movements  of  Hooker's  army, 
who  left  dust  in  the  road  we  stood  on  not  less  than  eight 
inches  deep.  With  a  fellow-officer  I  moved  to  the  roadside, 
and  there  sat  down  waiting  for  orders.  An  hour  passed, 
and  the  gray  dawn  of  coming  day  slowly  lighted  up  a  pic 
ture  I  never  can  forget.  The  men,  who  were  completely 

57 


THE   GETTYSBURG   CAMPAIGN 

tired  out,  had  slipped  the  bridle  rein  over  their  arms  and 
lay  down  in  front  of  their  horses  in  a  bed  of  dust  that  al 
most  obscured  them  from  sight.  Their  jaded  steeds  seemed 
to  know  they  should  not  move,  and,  propping  themselves 
with  extended  necks  and  lowering  heads,  stood  like  mute 
sentinels  over  their  riders  dead  in  sleep. 

CROSSING  THE  POTOMAC. 

We  crossed  the  river  on  pontoons  at  Edwards'  Ferry  and 
took  up  the  line  of  march  through  Maryland,  moving  so  as 
to  cover  the  left  flank  of  the  army.  The  country  was  loyal 
and  men  and  horses  recuperated  rapidly.  Passing  near 
Frederick  City,  Md.,  a  luckless  spy  happened  to  fall  within 
our  clutches.  A  drumhead  court-martial  dealt  out  prompt 
justice  and  his  body  was  left  hanging  to  a  tree  by  the  road 
side.  A  committee  of  indignant  citizens  called  on  General 
Buford  and  wanted  to  know  why  he  was  hanged.  General 
Buford  informed  them  that  the  man  was  a  spy  and  he  was 
afraid  to  send  him  to  Washington  because  he  knew  the 
authorities  would  make  him  a  brigadier  General.  The  com 
mittee  retired,  unanimously  voting  General  Buford  a 
"Northern  brute."  The  march  through  Western  Maryland 
was  thoroughly  enjoyable — good  roads,  frequent  streams  of 
water,  fine  camping  grounds,  sympathizing  people  often 
crowding  villages  and  country  towns  as  we  swept  on  through 
them.  Mails,  with  letters  from  home,  and  newspapers,  too, 
met  us  and  were  distributed  almost  every  day.  Later  in 
the  day — June  29th — wre  crossed  the  boundary  line  into 
Franklin  County,  Pa.  The  men  of  Company  G,  of  this 
regiment,  commanded  by  Captain  Luther  B.  Kurtz,  were 
natives  of  this  county,  and  mostly  recruited  at  or  near 
Waynesboro.  A  trooper  of  this  company,  with  guidon, 
stood  at  the  line  while  the  regiment  passed,  and  each  squad 
ron  lustily  cheered  him  as  we  hastened  on. 

The  division  crossed  the  South  Mountain  on  a  good  high 
way,  along  which  the  enemy's  cavalry  had  preceded  us  some 
days.  The  road  at  some  points  had  been  barricaded  by 
home  guards  and  local  troops  to  retard  their  progress,  but 
these  obstructions  had  mostly  been  removed.  The  com- 

58 


THE   GETTYSBURG   CAMPAIGN 

mand  bivouacked  on  the  night  of  the  29th  at  the  foot  of 
South  Mountain,  with  orders  to  move  at  sunrise.  The  camp, 
as  near  as  we  can  remember,  was  some  eight  or  ten  miles 
east  of  Waynesboro,  the  home  of  Captain  L.  B.  Kurtz  and 
the  home  of  the  men  of  Company  G.  The  captain  asked 
Colonel  Kellogg  for  permission  to  take  his  company  and 
spend  the  night  in  his  native  village.  The  request  was  novel ; 
the  orders  under  which  the  command  was  marching  were 
very  exacting.  The  colonel  was  a  West  Pointer  and  a  strict 
disciplinarian.  On  the  other  hand,  the  sympathies  of  every 
officer  in  the  command  were  with  Captain  Kurtz  and  his 
men.  The  request  was  granted  and  Company  G  went  home 
for  the  night,  leaving  assurances  of  honor  that  all  would  be 
back  at  the  hour  the  column  would  march,  and,  true  to  their 
word  and  country,  they  came,  and  when  they  reported  the 
next  morning,  without  a  man  missing  or  a  straggler,  they 
received  a  warm  greeting  from  their  generous,  though  less 
fortunate,  companions. 

ON  TO  GETTYSBURG. 

The  order  of  march  for  the  First  and  Second  Brigades 
for  the  day  was  to  Gettysburg  via  Emmettsburg.  We  reach 
ed  the  town  about  2  o'clock  p.  m.  Our  arrival  was  hailed 
as  the  advance  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  the  where 
abouts  of  which  for  some  days  previous  had  been  as  much 
of  a  mystery  to  the  loyal  people  of  the  State  as  it  was  to 
the  Confederate  chiefs.  The  people  of  the  town  lined  the 
streets  through  which  we  marched  from  doorstep  to  curb, 
indulged  in  exclamations  of  joy  and  chorused  national 
songs.  Passing  through  the  town  the  division  halted  and 
went  into  camp  on  Seminary  Ridge,  the  First  Brigade  on 
the  left  of  the  Cashtown  Road  and  the  Second  Brigade  on 
the  right.  The  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry's  camp 
was  near  the  town,  and  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of  the 
college  grounds.  Company  F  of  the  regiment  was  recruited 
in  the  Cumberland  Valley,  mostly  at  or  near  Carlisle,  but 
some  of  the  number  were  former  residents  of  Gettysburg, 
among  them  Perry  J.  -Tate,  the  adjutant,  a  brother  of  Dr. 
Theodore  T.  Tate,  who  went  into  service  with  this  regiment, 

59 


THE   GETTYSBURG   CAMPAIGN 

but  was  subsequently  assigned  to  duty  with  the  Third  Penn 
sylvania  Cavalry. 

General  Buford  realized  the  strategic  advantages  of  the 
position  he  then  held,  and  believed,  from  advices  received, 
that  Lee  was  at  that  hour  hastening  the  concentration  of  his 
powerful  army  on  the  ground  we  then  occupied.  By  10 
o'clock  p.  m.  of  the  3Oth  it  was  well  understood  at  division 
headquarters  that  our  pickets  on  the  Cashtown  and  Cham- 
bersburg  Pike  were  confronting  General  Hill's  infantry,  and 
those  on  the  Carlisle  Pike  the  infantry  of  General  Ewell. 
Buford  spent  some  hours  of  the  night  at  General  Devin's 
headquarters.  General  Buford  remarked,  before  leaving 
the  tent  of  Devin,  "that  concentration  at  that  point  was  cer 
tain,  that  the  battle  would  be  fought  at  that  point.  He  was 
afraid  it  would  be  commenced  in  the  morning  before  the  in 
fantry  would  get  up." 

Devin  did  not  share  the  opinion  of  his  superior  officer  and 
remarked  "that  he  would  take  care  of  all  that  would  attack 
his  front  during  the  ensuing  twenty-four  hours."  Buford 
replied:  "No,  you  won't;  they  will  attack  you  in  the  morn 
ing  and  will  come  booming,  skirmishers  three  deep.  You 
will  have  to  fight  like  the  devil  to  hold  your  own  until  sup 
ports  arrive.  The  enemy  must  know  the  importance  of  this 
position  and  will  strain  every  nerve  to  secure  it,  and  if  we 
are  able  to  hold  it,  we  will  do  well." 

The  picket  line  of  the  Second  Brigade  was  held  by  three 
companies  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  on  the 
night  of  June  3Oth,  viz.,  E,  F  and  M,  commanded  by  Cap 
tains  Tice,  Ham  and  Sponsler,  all  under  the  command  of 
Major  J.  Q.  Anderson.  The  reserve  post  was  established 
at  or  near  the  junction  of  the  Newville  and  Carlisle  Roads, 
with  vedettes  thrown  forward  a  mile  or  more  beyond.  The 
line  of  pickets  covered  the  country  from  Rock  Creek  on  the 
right  to  the  Mummasburg  Road,  connecting  on  the  left 
with  the  line  of  the  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry. 

THE  FIRST  GUNS  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Buford's  command  was  saddled  and  standing  to  horse  by 
sunrise  on  the  morning  of  July  i.  The  advance  of  Ewell's 

60 


THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN 

Corps  from  the  direction  of  Carlisle,  with  that  of  General 
Early  from  the  direction  of  Wrightsville,  became  known  to 
Major  Anderson  on  the  evening  of  the  3Oth  of  June.  The 
movement  of  Ewell's  Corps  on  the  Carlisle  Road  was  evi 
dently  on  time  with  that  of  Hill  on  the  Cashtown  Road,  and 
if  unimpeded  both  columns  would  have  united  about  the 
same  hour  at  Gettysburg.  Ewell's  advance  was  met  by 
Major  Anderson's  troops  fully  three  miles  out  from  the 
town.  The  reserves  were  thrown  forward  to  a  strong  posi 
tion,  under  cover  of  a  stone  wall,  where  the  carbineers  did 
effective  work.  Skirmishing  began  on  this  line  at  sunrise, 
or  perhaps  a  little  before.  It  has  always  been  asserted  by 
the  officers  and  men  of  Anderson's  command  that  they  met 
the  enemy  in  actual  conflict  on  the  Carlisle  Road  before  the 
advance  of  Hill's  Corps  was  struck  by  the  First  Brigade. 
Dr.  J.  Wilson  De  Witt,  the  only  medical  officer  then  on  the 
staff  of  Colonel  Kellogg,  reports  that  he  was  on  the  line  in 
attendance  upon  the  wounded  of  Anderson's  troops  before 
7  o'clock  a.  m.,  and  that  the  firing  commenced  two  hours 
before  he  reached  the  front.  It  is  well  known  that  the  Sixth 
and  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry  were  ordered  up  to  the 
support  of  the  Seventeenth  Cavalry,  all  dismounted,  and 
by  7  o'clock  a.  m.,  the  Second  Brigade  was  actively  engaged 
covering  the  Mummasburg,  Carlisle  and  Harrisburg  Roads. 
At  an  early  hour  on  the  morning  of  July  ist,  and  before 
the  reserves  of  the  Seventeenth  were  ordered  to  the  front, 
Colonel  Kellogg  and  Dr.  J.  Wilson  De  Witt,  acting  surgeon, 
were  about  mounting  their  horses  to  make  a  call  on  relatives 
in  the  town.  At  this  moment  a  plain-looking,  well-dressed 
citizen  made  his  appearance  in  the  camp.  He  wore  the  garb 
and  used  the  language  of  a  Quaker.  He  appeared  advanced 
in  years,  and  carried  a  cornstalk  cane.  He  desired  to  see 
one  of  the  general  officers.  He  was  taken  to  Colonel 
Kellogg.  Upon  being  presented  he  made  himself  known  as 
a  Union  man,  and  then  carefully  taking  out  a  closely  written 
despatch  which  he  had  adroitly  concealed  in  the  hollow  of 
his  cornstalk  cane,  he  handed  it  to  Colonel  Kellogg.  The 
despatch  conveyed  the  information  that  Swell's  Corps  was 
concentrating  on  the  Carlisle  Road,  and  had  gone  into  camp 

61 

5— 17th   R. 


THE   GETTYSBURG   CAMPAIGN 

for  the  night  of  the  3Oth  at  a  point  within  a  short  day's 
march  from  Gettysburg,  with  every  indication  of  a  move 
ment  in  force  on  that  place  early  on  the  morning  of  July  I. 
While  the  man  was  being  questioned  by  Colonel  Kellogg,  an 
officer  reported  from  Major  Anderson  that  he  was  then  be 
ing  attacked  by  the  advance  of  the  enemy,  and  that  larger 
bodies  of  troops  were  moving  toward  his  front  and  to  his 
right  to  obtain  possession  of  the  Harrisburg  Road. 

It  seems  almost  incredible  that  between  3,000  and  4,000 
carbineers  could  hold  an  unbroken  line  of  three  to  four 
miles  against  such  fearful  odds.  General  Buford's  signal 
officer,  who  was  in  the  cupola  of  the  Theological  Seminary, 
the  most  eligible  point  of  observation  on  the  field,  says: 

"The  engagement  was  desperate,  as  we  were  opposed  to  the 
whole  front  of  Hill's  Corps.  We  held  them  in  check  fully  two 
hours  and  were  nearly  overpowered  when,  looking  about  the  coun 
try,  I  saw  the  corps  flag  of  General  Reynolds.  I  was  still  in  the 
cupola,  but  being  the  only  signal  officer  with  the  cavalry,  I  had  no 
one  to  communicate  with,  so  I  sent  one  of  my  men  to  General 
Buford,  who  came  up,  and  looking  through  my  field-glass  confirmed 
my  report  and  remarked :  'Now  we  can  hold  the  place.'  General 
Reynolds  and  staff  .came  up  at  a  gallop  in  advance  of  the  corps, 
when  I  made  the  following  communication :  'Reynolds  himself  will 
be  here  in  five  minutes,  his  corps  is  about  a  mile  behind.'  Buford 
returned  to  my  station  and  watched  anxiously  the  observations 
made  through  my  signal  telescope.  When  Reynolds  came  up, 
seeing  Buford  in  the  cupola,  he  cried  out :  'What's  the  matter, 
John  ?'  'The  devil's  to  pay,'  said  Buford.  Upon  reaching  the 
ground  Reynolds  said :  'I  hope  you  can  hold  out  until  my  corps 
comes  up.'  'I  reckon  I  can,'  was  the  characteristic  reply,  and  the 
two  officers  rode  rapidly  to  the  front." 

It  should  be  noted  here  that  Calef's  Second  United  States 
Battery,  as  early  as  7  o'clock  a.  m.,  was  in  action.  The 
three  sections  were  separated  by  intervals  of  fully  a  hundred 
yards,  or  perhaps  more.  The  section  to  the  right  of  the 
Cashtown  Road  was  supported  by  a  squadron  of  the  Third 
Division.  The  section  to  the  left  of  the  same  road  by  a 
squadron  of  the  8th  Illinois,  and  the  section  on  the  road  by 
the  Fifth  Squadron  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania. 
These  sections  were  forced  back  into  the  line  of  battle,  and 
united  in  battery  on  the  crest  of  Seminary  Ridge,  and  there 

62 


THE   GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN 

fought  until  their  ammunition  was  exhausted,  when  they 
were  relieved  by  the  artillery  of  the  First  Corps.  When  the 
guns  of  Calef  were  united  in  the  last  position  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  troops  only  were  in  support  of  the 
battery.  It  was  this  trying  hour  to  which  General  Buford 
in  his  official  report  refers  where  he  says :  "At  one  time  the 
enemy  had  a  concentric  fire  of  twelve  guns,  all  at  short 
range.  Calef  held  his  own  gloriously,  worked  his  guns  de 
liberately,  with  great  judgment  and  skill,  and  with  wonder 
ful  effect  upon  the  enemy." 

I  think  it  was  between  10  and  n  o'clock  a. 
m.  when  the  battery  was  retired,  and  the  squadron  hurried 
off  to  the  right  of  the  Second  Brigade  line  to  reinforce  the 
regiment,  a  portion  of  which  we  found  fighting  against  great 
odds  on  the  Harrisburg  Pike.  They  fought  dismounted, 
with  carbines,  and  when  their  ammunition  for  their  deadly 
weapons  was  exhausted,  and  lines  at  points  reached  close 
quarters,  they  used  their  Colts'  revolvers  to  the  best  advan 
tage  possible.  While  compelled  to  fall  back  from  one  posi 
tion  to  another,  as  heavy  lines  of  infantry  pressed  upon 
their  front  and  flank,  sometimes  enfiladed  by  the  enemy's 
artillery,  in  a  few  cases  leaving  the  dead  and  wounded  on 
the  hastily  abandoned  grounds,  yet  these  troops  yielded 
slowly  and  doggedly,  answering  every  exulting  Rebel  yell 
with  a  ringing  loyal  cheer,  and  only  gave  up  the  line  in 
front  of  the  town  when  their  powder-blackened  and  grirn- 
visaged  companions  of  the  whole  field  were  completely  out 
flanked  and  overpowered  by  the  united  troops  of  Hill's  and 
Ewell's  Corps. 

RETIRING  To  CEMETERY  HILL. 

The  regiment  retired  in  the  most  orderly  manner  on  tne 
Harrisburg  Pike,  covering  the  right  flank  of  troop;?  of  the 
Eleventh  Corps  as  they  fell  back  in  conjunction  with  those 
of  the  First  Corps.  Upon  reaching  a  point  near  the  town  Col 
onel  Kellogg  massed  the  regiment  in  column  of  squadrons  in 
a  lot  or  field  under  the  crest  of  Cemetery  Hill,  where  the 
artillery  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  was  in  position.  The  gun 
ners  mistook  us  in  the  smoke  and  dust  for  the  enemy  and 


THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN 

turned  their  guns  upon  us,  and  in  turn  we  were  led  for 
the  moment  to  believe  that  the  enemy  had  gained  possession 
of  the  crest  and  were  using  our  own  guns  against  us.  Major 
Coe  Durland  was  sent  to  investigate  the  situation.  Mean 
while  a  movement  out  of  range  was  effected  Ly  some  of  the 
squadrons.  As  we  hastened  from  this  field  of  unnatural 
peril  we  met  the  infantry  moving  in  broken  columns  from 
all  directions,  with  ambulances  and  artillery  toward  the 
town. 

The  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania,  with  the  Sixth  and  Ninth 
New  York  Cavalry,  was  obliged  to  pass  through  the  streets 
of  the  town  in  order  to  join  the  First  Brigade,  which  had 
retired,  covering  the  left  flank  of  the  First  Corps,  west  of 
Gettysburg.  The  regiment  moved  with  unbroken  column 
and,  by  its  steady  bearing  and  example  exerted  a  whole 
some  influence  upon  some  of  the  disorganized  troops. 
Emerging  from  the  moving  mass  of  infantry,  artillery  and 
ambulance  trains  at  a  point  near  where  the  Emmettsburg 
and  Taneytown  Roads  unite,  the  regiment  and  brigade  went 
into  position  on  the  high  ground  now  occupied  by  the 
National  Cemetery,  the  line  extending  westward,  joining 
that  of  the  First  Brigade,  then  resisting  the  continued  efforts 
of  Hill's  troops  to  gain  further  ground  on  the  left.  This 
last  work  of  General  Buford's  cavalry  is  truthfully  des 
cribed  by  Mr.  Samuel  P.  Bates,  in  his  "Gettysburg,"  page 
80: 

The  heroic  Buford,  who  had  first  felt  the  shock  of  battle,  *  *  * 
was  now,  at  the  critical  moment,  a  pillar  of  strength.  *  *  *  His 
front  was  tried,  and  the  attempt  was  made  to  push  past  him  along 
the  low  ground,  drained  by  Stevens'  Run,  but  he  maintained  his 
ground  intact,  and  that  admirable  position  where  the  army  at 
length  fought  and  won  the  battle  was  again  saved.  General  War 
ren,  the  engineer-in-chief  of  the  army,  who  first  came  upon  the 
field  at  this  crisis,  says  in  his  testimony :  "General  Buford's  cavalry 
was  all  in  line  of  battle  between  our  position  there  and  the  enemy. 
Our  cavalry  presented  a  very  handsome  front,  and  I  think  probably 
checked  the  advance  of  the  enemy." 

It  was  between  4  and  5  o'clock  p.  m.  when  the  regiment, 
with  the  division,  went  into  position  on  Cemetery  Hill, 
covering  the  Emmettsburg  Road  and  commanding  the  low 


THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN 

ground  drained  by  a  small  stream  known  as  the  Stevens 
Run.  From  this  point  we  had  a  full  view  of  the  line  of 
operations  of  the  day,  and  the  troops  of  Hill's  and  Ewell's 
Corps  were  exposed  to  observation  from  right  to  left  of  their 
line,  variously  estimated  at  from  forty  to  fifty  thousand 
men.  The  area  of  ground  embraced  within  the  lines  of  the 
contending  forces,  and  finally  yielded  to  the  enemy,  extend 
ed  from  the  point  where  Willoughby  Run  unites  with  Marsh 
Creek,  west  of  Seminary  Ridge,  crossing  the  public  roads 
to  Fairfield,  Chambersburg,  Mummasburg  and  Carlisle  to 
a  short  distance  east  of  the  Harrisburg  Pike,  and  at  a  dis 
tance  of  from  two  to  three  miles  from  the  town.  The 
country  then,  as  now,  was  well-improved  farm  land. 

The  writer  has  a  vivid  recollection  of  the  scenes  of  dis 
tress  and  sorrow  of  the  terrified  families  in  their  flight  from 
between  the  battle  lines  of  fire  and  death  on  the  afternoon 
of  July  ist.  Men,  women  and  children,  in  farm  wagons, 
who  had  been  sent  to  the  rear  and  to  the  town  during  the 
day,  and  who  felt  they  were  comparatively  safe,  suddenly 
awoke  to  a  new  sense  of  danger  as  our  troops  fell  back 
rapidly  through  the  streets  of  the  town.  Some  of  them 
drove  their  stock  of  horses,  cows  and  sheep,  and  the  bawl 
ing  and  bleating  of  the  animals  in  straggling  herds  was  in 
strong  contrast  to  the  sharp  rattle  of  musketry  and  the 
thunder  of  cannon.  To  the  west  and  north  were  seen  the 
smoking  ruins  of  several  large  barns  and  one  or  two  in 
full  blaze  that  had  been  occupied  by  the  sharpshooters  of 
Lee's  army,  and  purposely  set  on  fire  by  shells  of  our 
artillerists.  And  there  could  be  seen  also  along  the  ex 
tended  line  the  formation  of  the  enemy's  troops,  and  in  their 
rear  battery  after  battery  with  ammunition  trains,  and 
trains  of  ambulances  could  be  plainly  seen  in  occupation 
of  Seminary  Ridge. 

The  second  squadron,  Companies  D  and  H,  the  former 
from  Bradford,  and  the  latter  from  Schuylkill  County,  com 
manded  by  Captain  William  Thompson,  was  on  detached 
duty  at  Fifth  Corps  Headquarters  in  this  campaign,  and 
did  not  participate  in  the  first  day's  engagement.  Captain 
Thompson's  services  with  the  Fifth  Corps  antedated  this 

65 


THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN 

battle.  Serving  under  the  immediate  orders  of  General 
Meade,  prior  to  his  assignment  to  the  command  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  he  enjoyed  the  confidence  of  this 
distinguished  officer,  and  accompanied  him  to  the  field  of 
battle  on  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  July  and  rode  with 
him  and  his  corps  commanders  over  the  line  established,  and 
on  which  the  second  day's  battle  was  fought.  His  squadron 
was  on  continuous  duty  during  the  2d  of  July,  and  was  on 
Gulp's  Hill  during  the  terrible  cannonade  and  subsequent 
charge  of  Picketts'  division  on  the  afternoon  of  the  3d. 
This  squadron  suffered  a  corresponding  loss  of  men  and 
horses  with  the  other  troops  in  the  regiment,  although  par 
ticipating  in  different  scenes  and  phases  of  the  battle. 

The  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  fully  performed 
its  share  of  service  on  the  night  of  July  I,  and  cheerfully 
labored  without  rest  or  sleep  in  preventing  the  advance  of 
the  enemy  on  every  road  it  occupied,  and  in  preparing  the 
field  in  its  rear  for  the  operations  of  those  then  marching 
to  our  relief.  The  line  held  by  the  division  during  the 
night  was  drawn  back  at  daylight,  with  vedettes  out  on 
eligible  points  of  observation  until  about  9  o'clock  a.  m., 
when  the  whole  command  was  relieved  by  the  Third  Corps 
under  command  of  General  Sickles,  and,  by  order  of  Gen 
eral  Pleasonton,  it  marched  to  near  Westminster,  then  Gen 
eral  Meade's  base  of  supplies,  where  it  refitted  and  went  in 
to  position  on  the  extreme  left  of  the  army. 

THE  ATTACK  AT  WILLIAMSPORT. 

The  defeat  of  Lee  on  the  3d  of  July  was  followed  by  his 
retreat  to  the  Potomac  River.  Conjecturing  that  his  trains 
would  concentrate  at  or  about  Williamsport,  General  Buford 
was  ordered  in  pursuit  and  to  make  an  attack  upon  them 
wherever  found.  Leaving  Westminster  on  the  afternoon 
of  July  4th,  marching  via  Frederick  City  and  Boonsboro, 
crossing  South  Mountain,  he  struck  the  command  of  Gen 
eral  Imboden  at  Williamsport  at  a  late  hour  on  the  evening 
of  July  6th.  A  strong  outpost  of  the  enemy  was  cut  off 
and  captured  in  advancing  on  the  place,  and  the  whole  di 
vision  was  placed  in  line  for  the  purpose  of  making  a  night 

66 


THE   GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN 

attack  upon  the  position.  Careful  reconnoissances  were 
made;  meantime  darkness  set  in,  and  about  9  o'clock  p.  m. 
it  was  ascertained  that  a  large  body  of  the  enemy's  cavalry 
was  moving  on  our  right  and  rear,  compelling  General  Bu- 
ford  to  retire  without  making  the  attack.  The  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  were  the  last  to  leave  the  field,  and 
covered  the  retiring  troops,  holding  the  Confederate  rein 
forcements  in  check.  The  division  fell  back  to  the  level 
of  Antietam  Creek  on  the  7th,  followed  by  General  Stuart's 
cavalry.  Along  this  line  from  the  7th  to  the  I2th  daily  en 
counters  were  experienced  with  the  Confederate  cavalry, 
when  the  whole  army  moved  upon  Lee's  entrenched  posi 
tion  at  Williamsport.  Captain  L.  B.  Kurtz  volunteered  his 
services  to  ascertain  the  exact  situation  of  Lee's  army  at 
Williamsport.  He  crossed  the  Potomac  River  below  Fall 
ing  Waters  on  the  evening  of  the  i2th  of  July  and  there 
learned  that  a  pontoon  bridge  was  in  use,  by  which  Lee  was 
transferring  his  .artillery  and  trains  to  the  Virginia  shore : 
that  troops  were  crossing  on  flatboats,  rafts  and  all  other 
means  that  could  be  utilized  to  aid  them  over  a  flooded 
river.  These  facts  were  duly  reported  to  General  Devin 
before  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  I3th  and  forwarded 
to  army  headquarters,  and  the  pontoon  bridge  was  destroyed 
by  the  Union  troops  some  hours  later,  the  river  then  being 
too  high  to  ford. 

The  division  covered  the  extreme  left  flank  and  rested 
upon  the  Potomac  River,  about  one  mile  south  of  Falling 
Waters.  Pushing  forward,  mounted  in  line  of  battle,  it 
struck  the  enemy's  outpost  about  9  o'clock  p.  m.,  and  drew 
a  sharp  fire  from  Lee's  defensive  line.  The  I3th  passed  and 
midnight  brought  the  order  to  advance  at  the  dawn  of  day 
on  the  1 4th. 

At  the  hour  named  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry 
dismounted,  led  the  advance  of  the  division  in  the  direction 
of  Williamsport,  but  it  was  too  late.  Lee  had  escaped, 
crossing  the  river  under  great  difficulties,  As  in  all  such 
great  exigencies  a  forlorn  hope  was  left  to  be  sacrificed. 
In  this  case  it  was  commanded  by  General  Pettigrew,  a 
brave  officer,  in  command  of  about  2000  men.  This  officer 


THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN 

was  killed  and  all  his  troops  captured,  with  two  pieces  of 
artillery  and  a  number  of  battle-flags.  In  the  last  move 
ment  it  soon  become  evident  that  only  a  rearguard  was 
left  north  of  the  Potomac,  and  a  rush  was  made  for  its 
capture.  A  small  square  fort  or  earthwork  was  occupied 
by  some  400  or  500  men ;  this  fort  was  rashly  charged  by  a 
battalion  of  Michigan  cavalry,  under  direction  of  General 
Kilpatrick,  and  who  paid  dearly  for  their  brave  but  fruitless 
act.  Meantime  the  troops  of  the  First  Division,  under  Bu- 
ford,  had  cut  the  enemy  off  from  the  ford  at  the  river, 
suffering  from  a  sharp  fire  from  the  enemy's  guns  posted 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river  to  protect  their  retreat. 
Upon  discovering  this  movement  the  men  in  the  fort  and 
those  on  the  line  beyond  it  promptly  surrendered.  Here 
ended  the  Gettysburg  campaign.  The  Seventeenth  Penn 
sylvania  Cavalry  was,  we  believe,  the  first  Pennsylvania 
regiment  that  struck  the  united  army  of  Northern  Virginia 
on  that  great  battlefield,  and  was  foremost  among  those  who 
at  last  hastened  Lee's  final  departure  from  the  loyal  States. 

MlSSTATEMENTS. 

There  seems  to  be  a  misapprehension  upon  the  part  of 
some  of  the  participants  in  the  opening  fight  of  July  ist,  as 
well  as  writers  upon  the  subject.  General  Heth,  of  the 
Confederate  army,  who  commanded  the  advanced  division 
of  Hill's  corps  on  the  Cashtown  Road,  writing  in  the  Week 
ly  Times  September  22,  1877,  and  in  the  same  journal  March 
23,  1878,  asserts  with  great  confidence: 

I  did  not  have  so  much  as  a  skirmish  with  General  Buford's 
cavalry  or  any  other  cavalry.  The  first  force  I  struck  was  infantry 
(Reynolds'  corps).  At  the  end  of  two  hours'  fighting  I  had  lost 
2,700  men  and  50  per  cent,  of  the  officers  of  my  division.  Rhodes 
had  lost  2,500  men  and  a  proportionate  number  of  officers.  Early 
had  lost  500  or  600  men. 

General  Heth's  mistake  arises  from  the  fact  that  the 
cavalry  fought  dismounted  during  the  early  part  of  the  day, 
concealing  their  led  horses  from  observation  behind  the 
crest  of  Seminary  Ridge. 

Mr.  Samuel  P.  Bates,  in  his  "Gettysburg,"  page  61,  after 
quoting  in  part  a  letter  from  General  Cutler  to  Governor  A. 

68 


THE   GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN 

G.     Curtin    (printed     in     General     Hofmann's    article     in 
Weekly  Press  of  January  13),  says: 

The  first  shot  was  delivered  by  the  enemy  at  little  before  10 
o'clock,  which  we  responded  to  on  the  Union  side  by  three  single 
shots,  the  signal  for  a  general  discharge  along  the  skirmish  line, 
and  the  battle  of  Gettysburg  was  begun. 

On  the  other  hand  Major  Joseph  G.  Rosengarten,  of 
General  Reynolds'  staff  writing  upon  the  operations  of  the 
first  day's  engagement  in  the  Weekly  Times,  March  17,  1877, 
says: 

The  brilliant  achievement  of  Buford,  with  his  small  body  of 
cavalry,  is  but  too  little  considered  in  the  history  of  the  battle  of 
Gettysburg.  It  was  his  foresight  and  energy,  his  pluck  and  self- 
reliance  in  thrusting  forward  his  force,  and  pushing  the  enemy, 
and  thus  inviting,  almost  compelling,  their  return,  that  brought  on 
the  engagement  of  the  ist  of  July. 

General  Meade  in  his  official  report  says : 

On  reaching  that  place  (Gettysburg)  on  the  first  day  of  July, 
General  Reynolds  found  Buford's  cavalry  warmly  engaged  with  the 
enemy,  who  had  debouched  his  infantry  through  the  mountains  on 
the  Cashtown  Road,  but  was  being  held  in  check  in  the  most  gallant 
manner. 

General  Pleasonton,  then  in  command  of  the  cavalry 
Corps  and  directing  the  operations  of  the  three  divisions  in 
the  approach  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  this  great 
battlefield,  thus  testifies  before  the  Committee  on  the  Con 
duct  of  the  War  (Supplement,  part  2,  page  9)  : 

Buford,  with  his  4,000  cavalry,  attacked  the  enemy,  and  for  four 
hours  splendidly  resisted  his  advance,  until  Reynolds  and  Howard 
were  able  to  hurry  to  the  field  and  give  their  assistance.  To  the 
intrepidity,  courage  and  fidelity  of  General  Buford  and  his  brave 
division  the  country  and  the  army  owe  the  battlefield  of  Gettysburg. 

EXTRACT  FROM  BUFORD' S  OFFICIAL  REPORT. 

By  daylight  of  the  ist  of  July,  I  had  gained  positive  information 
of  the  enemy's  position  and  movements,  and  my  arrangements  were 
made  for  entertaining  him  until  General  Reynolds  could  reach  the 
scene.  Between  8  and  9  a.  m.  reports  came  in  from  the  First 
Brigade,  Colonel  Gamble,  that  the  enemy  was  coming  down  from 
towards  Cashtown  in  force.  Colonel  Gamble  made  an  admirable 
line  of  battle  and  moved  off  proudly  to  meet  him.  The  two  lines 

69 


THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN 

soon  became  hotly  engaged,  we  having  the  advantage  of  position, 
he  in  numbers.  The  First  Brigade  held  its  own  for  more  than  two 
hours,  and  had  to  be  literally  dragged  back  a  few  hundred  yards 
to  a  position  securer  and  better  sheltered.  Tidball's  Battery,  com 
manded  by  Lieutenant  Calef,  Second  Artillery,  fought  on  this  oc 
casion  as  is  seldom  witnessed.  At  one  time  the  enemy  had  a  con 
centric  fire  upon  this  battery  from  twelve  guns,  all  at  short  range. 
Calef  held  his  own  gloriously,  worked  his  guns  with  great  judg 
ment  and  skill  and  with  wonderful  effect  upon  the  enemy.  *  *  * 
While  the.  left  of  my  line  was  engaged,  Devin's  Brigade  on  the 
right  had  its  hands  full.  The  enemy  advanced  upon  Devin  by  four 
roads,  and  on  each  was  checked  and  held  until  the  leading  division 
of  the  Eleventh  Corps  came  to  his  relief.  ************ 

I  am  unwilling  to  believe  that  the  writers  first  referred  to 
would  intentionally  detract  from  the  distinguished  services 
rendered  by  the  officers  and  men  of  the  First  Cavalry  Divi 
sion  from  sunrise  to  sunset  on  July  I,  1863,  and  which 
many  of  us  had  hoped  had  gone  into  history  unquestioned. 
It  was  often  said  during  the  late  war,  quite  as  much  in  sin 
cerity  as  in  jest,  that  the  "cavalry"  were  constantly  stirring 
up  the  enemy  and  when  they  succeeded  in  bringing  on  a  battle 
would  turn  them  over  to  the  infantry.  The  cavalry  cer 
tainly  did  not  pursue  this  course  on  July  I,  1863,  but  fully 
shared  every  peril  during  the  eventful  day  and  faithfully 
guarded  front  and  flanks  throughout  the  weary  night  that 
followed.  The  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  Regiment 
crossed  the  boundary  line  of  the  State  with  about  500  ef 
fective  men  and  officers.  The  number  of  killed  and  wound 
ed,  including  those  lost  at  Beverly  Ford  and  Upperville,  is 
reported  by  Dr.  Dewit  at  ninety-five,  or  about  20  per  cent,  of 
the  command.  This  does  not  include  those  who  fell  sick 
by  the  way,  or  the  further  loss  to  the  regiment  by  dis 
mounts,  resulting  from  horses  killed,  disabled  and  worn 
out,  this  number  being  in  excess  of  the  men  killed  and 
wounded.  In  every  line  of  battle  from  Beverly  Ford  to 
Seminary  Ridge  and  Cemetery  Hill,  formed  by  the 
First  Cavalry  Division  this  regiment  fully  performed 
its  duties  and  met  the  expectations  of  its  commanding  offi 
cers. 


70 


Jos i Air  H.  KKLUXK;. 
Colonel,  Chicago,  Illinois. 


JOSIAH  H.  KELLOGG. 

BREVET  MAJOR  UNITED  STATES  ARMY.     COLONEL  SEVEN- 

TEENT,H  REGIMENT,  PENNSYLVANIA 

VOLUNTEER  CAVALRY. 

Colonel  Josiah  H.  Kellogg  was  born  at  Erie,  Pennsyl 
vania,  October  i,  1836.  He  was  educated  at  private  schools 
and  the  Erie  Academy  till  1853,  when  he  entered  Hobart 
College,  at  Geneva,  N.  Y.,  in  which  institution  he  was  a 
junior  when  appointed  as  a  cadet  at  the  United  States  Mili 
tary  Academy  at  West  Point,  in  1855.  He  graduated  in 
1860,  and  was  appointed  as  a  brevet  second  lieutenant  in  the 
First  Dragoons.  He  was  assigned  to  duty  at  the  Carlisle 
barracks  and  served  there  until  November  2,  1860,  when  he 
was  ordered,  with  recruits,  to  join  his  regiment,  part  of 
which  was  then  stationed  at  Walla  Walla,  in  the  Territory 
of  Washington. 

After  serving  there  for  some  months,  he  was  ordered  to 
take  command  of  the  company  which  garrisoned  Fort 
Crook,  near  Mount  Shasta,  in  Northern  California.  He 
commanded  Fort  Crook  until  his  regiment  was  ordered  east 
to  take  part  in  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  He  was  promoted 
to  second  lieutenant,  January  8,  1861  ;  to  the  rank  of  first 
lieutenant,  May  13,  1861 ;  and  was  assigned  to  the  First  U. 
S.  Cavalry,  August  3,  1861.  He  was  promoted  to  a  cap 
taincy  in  the  First  U.  S.  Cavalry,  May  20,  1862.  He  also 
served  for  a  time  as  adjutant  of  the  First  Dragoons,  the 
title  of  the  regiment  having  been  changed  by  act  of  Congress. 

By  permission  of  the  War  Department,  he  was  assigned 
tr.  the  command  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry,  received  a  commission  from  the  gover 
nor  of  Pennsylvania  as  colonel  of  U.  S.  volunteers,  Novem 
ber  19,  1862,  and  at  once  took  command  of  the  regiment. 

Although  Colonel  Kellogg  was  a  perfect  stranger  when 
he  came  to  the  regiment,  both  officers  and  men  soon  learned 
to  know  and  respect  him  as  their  commander.  The  initiation 
into  military  duties  now  began  in  earnest ;  everything  was 
new  to  the  men  and  they  had  much  to  learn. 

71 


JOSIAH  H.  KELLOGG 

Colonel  Kellogg's  thorough  training,  practical  experience 
and  diplomacy  served  him  well  for  the  task  he  had  assumed. 
He  was  an  excellent  tactician  and  most  thorough  drill-mas 
ter,  and  by  continued  and  unceasing  efforts  he  soon  brought 
the  regiment  to  a  high  standard  of  military  proficiency.  He 
commanded  the  regiment  during  the  famous  Stafford,  Chan- 
cellorsville  and  Gettysburg  campaigns.  Because  of  injuries 
incurred  during  the  service,  he  was  granted  leave  of  ab 
sence  and  was  obliged  to  be  absent  from  the  regiment  until 
November  10,  1864,  when  he  again  reported  for  duty.  He 
accompanied  the  regiment  in  the  Gordonsville  expedition, 
and  commanded  a  provisional  brigade  of  which  the  regiment 
formed  a  part. 

Upon  arriving  in  the  vicinity  of  Gordonsville,  the  cross 
ing  of  a  stream  was  prevented  by  a  Rebel  battery  on  the 
opposite  side.  Colonel  Kellogg,  with  his  brigade,  was 
ordered  to  proceed  up  the  river  several  miles,  where  he  ef 
fected  a  crossing  and  drove  the  Rebel  battery  from  its  posi 
tion,  capturing  two  of  its  pieces,  thus  opening  the  road  to 
Gordonsville.  Active  service  in  the  saddle  again  opened  his 
wounds  and  he  was  forced  to  resign  his  command.  Later 
he  was  ordered  to  the  Springfield,  Massachusetts,  armory, 
to  serve  on  a  board  of  commissioners  to  remodel  the  Spring 
field  musket,  making  it  a  breechloader. 

Afterwards  Colonel  Kellogg  was  sent  to  West  Point  as 
assistant  professor  of  natural  philosophy  and  astronomy. 
He  was  mustered  out  of  the  U.  S.  volunteer  service  Decem 
ber  17,  1864,  and  retired  from  the  U.  S.  military  service 
February  6,  1865. 


72 


SHERIDAN'S  RICHMOND  RAID. 

When  General  Grant  fought  the  battle  of  the  Wilderness, 
General  P.  H.  Sheridan,  with  his  entire  cavalry  corps — 
about  ten  thousand  strong — was  temporarily  detached  from 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  demonstrate  in  the  rear  of 
General  Lee's  army  and  cut  his  communication  with  Rich 
mond.  The  expedition  left  Spottsylvania  early  in  the  morn 
ing  of  May  9,  1864,  and  as  each  division,  brigade  and  regi 
ment  took  its  regular  place  in  that  line  which  extended  over 
twelve  miles  in  length,  with  its  commander  at  the  head 
of  the  column,  the  scene  was  an  inspiration  to  every  trooper 
that  followed  Sheridan's  flag  on  that  day.  It  made  an  im 
pression  on  my  mind  I  shall  never  forget. 

After  a  forced  march  of  some  thirty  or  forty  miles  around 
General  Lee's  right  flank,  the  column  made  a  short  halt  at 
Chilisburg  to  close  up  and  mass  the  command.  After  a 
short  rest  we  crossed  the  North  Anna  River  and  made  a 
dash  for  the  Central  Railroad  at  Beaver  Dam  Station,  where 
several  trains  loaded  with  supplies  for  General  Lee's  army 
were  captured.  At  this  point  we  also  recaptured  about  500 
prisoners,  that  had  been  captured  during  the  battle  of 
the  Wilderness,  who  were  en  route  for  Richmond.  Beaver 
Dam  Station  was  one  of  General  Lee's  reserve  stations, 
about  midway  between  his  front  and  Richmond.  It  was  so 
far  in  the  rear  of  his  front  that  it  was  considered  reason 
ably  safe  to  make  it  headquarters  for  his  reserve  supplies. 
General  P.  H.  Sheridan  in  his  official  report  estimates  that 
stores  amounting  to  1,500,000  rations  were  destroyed  at 
this  time.  The  men  were  permitted  to  replenish  their  haver 
sacks  and  to  secure  forage  for  their  horses  as  much  as  they 
needed.  What  they  could  not  use  was  burned.  This  bold 
movement  of  General  Sheridan  must  have  been  a  great  sur 
prise  to  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  commander  of  the  Rebel 
cavalry,  who,  up  to  this  time,  had  been  such  a  terror  to  the 
Union  army,  and  had  had  things  pretty  much  his  own  way. 
General  Sheridan  had  at  least  the  advantage  of  a  day's 
march  on  him  in  the  direction  of  striking  at  the  very  heart 

73 


SHERIDAN'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

of  the  Confederacy  before  General  Stuart  could  possibly 
intercept  him. 

But  evidently  General  Sheridan  did  not  care  to  continue 
his  forced  marches  and  thus  reach  the  Confederate  capital 
before  General  Stuart  could  overtake  him.  He  was  more 
concerned  in  the  destruction  of  the  railroad  which  supplied 
General  Lee's  army;  and,  more  especially  still,  in  giving  an 
opportunity  to  General  Stuart  for  a  fight  in  the  open  field 
with,  at  least,  equal  chances.  So,  after  destroying  the  rail 
road  station  at  Beaver  Dam,  and  as  much  of  the  public  pro 
perty  as  possible  until  the  following  morning,  we  leisurely 
followed  the  railroad  leading  to  Richmond,  tearing  up  the 
tracks,  burning  railroad  ties,  telegraph  poles  and  bridges, 
and  doing  all  the  damage  we  could  to  such  public  property 
as  would  be  of  assistance  to  General  Lee's  army.  During 
the  day  our  rear  was  frequently  attacked  by  General  Stuart's 
cavalry  which  had  now  followed  us.  We  crossed  the  South 
Anna  River  at  Squirrel  Bridge  and  camped  for  the  night. 
During  the  evening  a  savage  attack  was  made  upon  our  rear 
which  was  easily  repulsed  without  any  serious  results.  The 
Rebel  cavalry  now  virtually  abandoned  our  rear  and  flanks 
and,  during  the  night,  by  forced  marches,  placed  itself  be 
tween  General  Sheridan's  command  and  Richmond. 

The  following  morning,  May  nth,  we  continued  the 
march  in  the  direction  of  Richmond.  Our  brigade  was  in 
the  lead.  Our  advance  was  disputed  almost  continuously 
during  the  day  and  several  lively  skirmishes  were  had.  Ar 
riving  in  the  vicinity  of  Yellow  Tavern,  the  Confederate 
cavalry  was  met  in  force.  Our  entire  brigade  was  then  dis 
mounted  and  advanced  in  extended  order.  Our  line  was 
supported  by  General  George  H.  Custer's  brigade  mounted. 
As  soon  as  our  lines  became  exposed,  we  became  a  good 
target  for  a  Rebel  battery  which  had  taken  a  position  on 
some  high  ground  in  our  immediate  front.  Their  range 
was  too  high  for  the  dismounted  men,  but  did  consider 
able  damage  in  the  ranks  of  the  mounted  troops.  General 
Custer's  brigade  now  changed  position,  formed  on  the  right 
of  the  dismounted  men,  and  the  Second  Division,  (General 
James  H.  Wilson's)  was  brought  up  to  our  support.  In 

74 


SHERIDAN'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

full  view  of  the  dismounted  men,  General  Custer's  brigade 
made  a  brilliant  charge  in  echelon  on  the  enemy's  battery, 
capturing  four  pieces  of  artillery  and  several  hundred  pris 
oners.  In  the  meantime  the  dismounted  men  joined  in  the 
assault,  the  enemy's  lines  gave  way,  and,  for  a  short  time, 
there  was  a  general  mixup. 

It  is  claimed  that  it  was  at  this  critical  moment,  that  the 
Rebel  General  J.  E.  B.  Stuart,  followed  by  his  staff  and 
flag,  riding  to  the  front  for  the  purpose  of  rallying  his 
men,  and  thus  becoming  a  good  target  for  our  men,  was 
shot  from  his  horse  and  fatally  wounded.  There  are  sev 
eral  claims  made  as  to  who  killed  General  Stuart.  It  has 
been  said  that  General  Stuart  fell  mortally  wounded  direct 
ly  in  front  of  the  line  where  the  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry 
charged  dismounted.  It  is  also  claimed  that  he  was  shot 
by  private  John  A.  Huff,  of  Company  E,  of  the  Fifth  Michi 
gan  Cavalry.  In  regard  to  either  one  of  these  claims,  it 
seems  rather  strange  to  me  that  so  important  an  occurrence, 
if  the  facts  were  definitely  known,  should  have  remained 
unwritten  history  these  many  years. 

The  defeat  of  the  Confederate  cavalry  was  complete  so 
that  General  Sheridan  had  control  of  the  road  leading  to 
Richmond;  and,  during  the  night,  his  whole  command 
marched  to  within  about  four  miles  of  the  city.  Imme 
diately  after  the  enemy  was  driven  from  the  field,  our  regi 
ment  advanced  several  miles  on  the  Richmond  Pike  where 
we  stood  to  horse  all  night.  It  was  a  dreary  night  with 
frequent  showers  of  rain.  When  the  column  started  about 
daylight  the  following  morning,  May  I2th,  several  torpedoes 
which  had  been  buried  in  the  highway,  exploded,  killing 
several  horses.  It  was  reported  that  some  of  the  prisoners 
who  had  been  captured  the  day  before,  knew  all  about  these 
torpedoes  in  the  road,  so  General  Sheridan  directed  those 
prisoners  to  be  brought  forward,  and  compelled  them  to 
remove  the  wires  connecting  the  torpedoes  under  penalty  of 
death  in  the  event  of  any  more  explosions. 

It  was  later  learned  that  the  authorities  in  the  city  of 
Richmond  made  strenuous  efforts  during  the  night  to  pre 
vent  the  Yankees  from  entering  the  city.  All  the  govern- 

75 


SHERIDAN'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

ment  employes  in  the  city  were  under  military  orders,  whilst 
all  able  bodied  men  were  urged  to  arm  themselves  and  join 
some  military  organization  in  defense  of  their  city.  These 
were  hurriedly  assembled  during  the  night  and  marched  out 
to  the  inner  works  of  their  fortifications.  In  addition  to 
these,  General  Bragg,  of  the  Confederate  army,  who  was  in 
command  of  the  city,  had  sent  to  him  a  brigade  of  troops 
who  were  stationed  at  Petersburg,  Va.  It  is  said  that  early 
in  the  morning  of  May  I2th,  President  Davis  and  General 
Bragg  went  to  the  front  to  witness  the  capture  of  Sheridan's 
cavalry.  After  having  distributed  the  Rebel  cavalry  to 
guard  the  several  roads  by  which  General  Sheridan  might 
escape,  the  militia  was  placed  in  the  inner  lines  of  fortifica 
tions.  The  authorities  felt  confident  that  these  troops  could 
hold  the  approaches  leading  to  the  city  in  the  direction  of 
General  Sheridan's  advance. 

CROSSING  THE  CHICKAHOMINY. 

Although  General  Sheridan  had  gained  a  glorious  victory 
the  day  before  at  Yellow  Tavern,  it  was  evident  that  the 
longer  he  remained  in  the  vicinity  of  Richmond,  the  more 
troops  would  be  massed  against  him  and  in  defense  of  the 
Confederate  capital.  During  the  night  after  the  battle  of 
Yellow  Tavern,  he  advanced  his  line  toward  Richmond  un 
til  he  was  between  the  inner  and  outer  works  which  defend 
ed  the  city.  This  evidently  was  for  the  purpose  of  making 
a  feint  as  though  he  meant  to  enter  the  city.  At  the  same 
time  the  main  portion  of  his  command  made  a  sharp  left 
turn  in  the  direction  of  the  Chickahominy  River,  expecting 
to  cross  that  stream  at  Meadow  Bridge.  At  this  point  the 
land  is  low  and  swampy,  and  while  the  stream  is  shallow, 
the  recent  heavy  rains  had  caused  it  to  overflow  its  banks, 
so  that  the  soft  ground  made  it  impossible  to  ford  it.  The 
only  available  bridge  in  the  vicinity  had  been  partially  des 
troyed,  and  the  enemy's  cavalry  were  strongly  posted  on  the 
opposite  side.  But,  with  the  aid  of  a  company  of  sharpshoot 
ers  and  a  battery,  our  pioneers  who  were  repairing  the  bridge 
were  fairly  well  protected.  As  soon  as  the  bridge  was  con 
structed  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  and  the  Ninth 


SHERIDAN'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

New  York  Cavalry  charged  over  the  bridge,  deployed  and 
engaged  the  enemy. 

Comrade  A.  Shockey  of  Company  G  of  our  regiment,  in 
a  letter  to  Lieutenant  H.  G.  Bonebrake,  referring  to  the 
battle  of  Meadow  Bridge,  gives  the  following  account  of  it, 
viz. 

" After  the  great  cavalry  fight  at  Yellow  Tavern,  the  ob 
ject  of  General  Sheridan's  Raid  was  accomplished,  namely, 
to  destroy  Lee's  communication  with  Richmond  and  to  de 
feat  General  Stuart's  cavalry  in  an  open  fight.  Before  the 
dawn  of  day  of  May  12,  1864,  we  were  on  the  move  on  the 
road  leading  to  Chickahominy  River.  It  had  rained  all 
night.  The  morning  was  damp  and  a  heavy  fog  hung  over 
the  Chickahominy  Swamp.  The  swollen  river  was  in  our 
front,  too  marshy  to  be  forded ;  and  all  the  forces  the  Rebels 
could  muster  from  the  city  of  Richmond,  joined  Stuart's 
cavalry  in  pressing  our  rear  very  hard.  Skirmishing  com 
menced  early  in  the  morning  and  soon  the  cannons  were 
booming,  and  the  crack  of  the  musket  and  carbine  made 
it  appear  as  though  things  were  becoming  interesting.  The 
Rebels,  from  the  amount  of  cheering  they  indulged  in,  evi 
dently  thought  they  had  Sheridan  trapped  and  were  confi 
dent  of  bagging  him.  Upon  our  arrival  at  the  bridge,  we 
found  it  to  be  an  old  rickety  thing,  partly  destroyed,  with 
the  enemy  posted  on  the  opposite  side.  The  First  Squadron 
of  our  regiment  was  dismounted  and,  in  reconnoitering  for 
a  place  to  cross,  discovered  a  skeleton  of  a  railroad  bridge 
a  short  distance  below.  So,  with  carbines  in  hand,  we 
straddled  over  the  bridge  and  deployed  along  the  bank  of 
the  stream.  We  entered  the  swamp  to  the  left  of  the  road, 
but  found  the  enemy  too  strong  to  dislodge  them.  We  kept 
concealed  in  the  brushes  as  much  as  possible,  while  the 
Rebels  continued  an  indiscriminate  fire  in  our  direction  with 
out  doing  us  much  damage. 

Beyond  the  swamp,  a  short  distance  to  the  left  of  the 
road,  is  a  large  open  space  of  worn-out  bottom  land,  in 
circular  form,  or  rather  in  goose-neck  fashion,  with  a  dense 
thicket  on  the  left.  It  is  claimed  that,  in  the  long  ago,  the 
name  of  the  bridge  was  derived  from  a  meadow  located 

6— 17th    R. 


SHERIDAN'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

there.  The  small  detachment  which  had  worked 
its  way  across  the  river  was  not  strong  enough  to  charge 
the  hastily  contructed  breastworks  of  the  enemy,  but  we 
occupied  their  attention  until  re-enforcements  could  be  sent 
across  the  river.  In  the  meatime  we  listened  to  the  music 
of  the  battle  in  our  rear  across  the  river.  The  tumult  on 
the  Richmond  side  of  the  river,  the  roar  of  cannon,  the 
sharp  crack  of  the  carbine,  the  cheering  of  the  boys  and  the 
rollicking  notes  of  the  bugle,  made  it  one  of  the  most 
thrilling  and  memorable  events  of  my  war  experience. 
After  the  bridge  was  repaired,  the  first  regiment  to  rush 
across  was  the  balance  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry,  followed  by  the  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry,  who 
immediately  massed  and  charged  across  the  meadow,  driv 
ing  the  enemy  out  of  their  breastworks.  To  come  out  of 
our  hiding  place  into  the  open  field  in  full  view  of  the  enemy, 
tried  our  nerves.  But  we  had  the  advantage  of  a  heavy  fog 
and  a  drizzling  rain  which  prevented  the  smoke  of  battle 
from  rising.  When  the  line  was  ready  to  charge,  it  was 
almost  like  a  deep  twilight. 

"The  men  took  up  the  cheer  and  made  a  quick  dash 
across  the  meadow.  The  Rebels,  evidently,  were  not  pre 
pared  for  such  a  sudden  rush,  and,  before  they  could  rally 
they  were  forced  out  of  their  temporary  breastworks.  Thus 
the  obstruction  to  our  advance  was  removed,  and  Sheridan 
was  master  of  the  situation.  Our  regiment  lost  a  number 
of  men  in  this  engagement,  among  them  Lieutenant  J.  A. 
Shultz,  of  Company  C,  who  was  killed.  His  remains 
were  wrapped  in  a  blanket,  and  buried  by  the  side  of  the 
road  less  than  two  hours  after  his  death.  A  shell  struck  the 
soft  earth  a  short  distance  in  front  of  Comrade  Brooks,  of 
Company  A,  and  exploded  beneath  his  feet,  throwing  him 
some  distance  in  the  air.  As  he  fell  to  the  ground  unhurt, 
he  sprang  to  his  feet,  laughed  and  resumed  his  place  in  the 
line  as  though  nothing  unusual  had  happened." 

After  General  Sheridan's  command  was  safely  across  the 
Chickahominy,  the  dead  buried  and  the  wounded  made  as 
comfortable  as  possible,  the  march  was  continued  in  the 
afternoon  as  far  as  Gaines  Mill  where  we  went  into  camp 

78 


SHERIDAN'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

for  the  night.  As  we  had  been  almost  continuously  in  the 
saddle  for  four  days  and  four  nights,  the  men  were  per 
mitted  to  unsaddle,  build  fires  and  enjoy  a  good  night's  rest. 
During  the  four  days  we  had  been  absent  from  the  main 
army,  we  had  not  only  defeated  General  Stuart's  cavalry  in 
an  open  fight  at  Yellow  Tavern  and  killed  their  famous 
leader,  but  defeated  them  again  at  Meadow  Bridge  when 
their  cavalry  was  augmented  by  at  least  five  thousand 
militia  troops,  and,  in  addition,  had  struck  a  severe  blow  and 
inflicted  heavy  losses  upon  General  Lee's  army. 

During  the  night,  as  the  boys  gathered  around  their  camp- 
fires,  many  incidents  of  daring  and  narrow  escapes  were 
detailed,  and  the  men  were  jubilant  and  enthusiastic  over 
what  had  been  accomplished.  It  was  the  first  opportunity 
the  cavalry  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  had  to  show 
what  they  could  do  under  an  efficient  leader.  The  praises 
of  General  P.  H.  Sheridan  were  upon  every  lip  and  the 
shouts  of  victory  were  heard  frequently  in  various  parts  of 
the  camp. 

May  I3th,  we  marched  to  Gaines  Mill,  and  on  May  I4th 
we  crossed  the  Chickahominy  River  at  Bottom  Bridge  and 
marched  to  Malvern  Hill,  where  we  camped  for  several 
days  and  were  supplied  with  rations  and  forage  from  Gen 
eral  Butler's  command.  Here  too  the  prisoners  and  the 
artillery  we  had  captured  were  turned  over  to  the  provost 
marshall  of  General  Butler's  army,  and  the  wounded  and 
sick  were  put  in  hospitals.  May  I7th,  a  reconnoissance  was 
made  to  New  Market  and  Camp  Hally.  May  iSth,  we 
crossed  the  Chickahominy  River  at  Jones'  Bridge  and 
marched  to  Baltimore  Store,  bivouacking  there  for  the  night. 
May  2ist  we  marched  to  near  White  House.  The  bridge 
across  the  Pamunkey  River  at  this  point  having  been  des 
troyed,  it  became  necessary  to  reconstruct  it.  Several  ferry 
boats  in  the  river  were  lashed  together,  anchored  and  then 
covered  with  lumber  procured  from  buildings  and  railroad 
stringers  collected  and  transported  for  quite  a  distance.  In 
less  than  twenty-four  hours,  with  the  crudest  material  and 
poorest  facilities,  a  bridge,  almost  one  mile  long,  was  con- 

79 


SHERIDAN'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

structed,  over  which  the  entire  command  passed  without  the 
loss  of  a  single  gun  or  wagon. 

While  the  bridge  was  in  course  of  construction,  several 
attempts  were  made  by  the  Rebel  cavalry  to  force  our  rear 
column,  but  these  were  handsomely  repulsed  each  time. 
General  Wesley  Merritt,  in  his  official  report,  referring  to 
the  construction  of  the  bridge  across  the  Pamunkey  River 
says :  "Much  credit  is  due  both  officers  and  men  engaged  in 
this  work  for  the  prompt  and  energetic  manner  in  which 
they  discharged  their  duty.  An  abutment  and  several  spans 
of  the  bridge  had  to  be  replaced  entirely,  many  stringers  to 
be  supplied,  and  the  flooring  for  the  entire  bridge  collected 
and  transported  from  a  considerable  distance." 

May  22d,  we  crossed  the  Pamunkey  River  during  the 
night,  and  on  May  23d  marched  to  Mattapony ;  on  the  24th, 
to  Reedy  Swamp ;  and,  on  the  25th,  to  Chesterfield  Station, 
where  we  joined  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  again  and  went 
into  camp. 

During  the  raid  many  colored  people  joined  the  column 
and  had  a  severe  time  to  keep  up  with  the  command.  This 
raid  was  generally  regarded  as  a  great  success.  General 
Sheridan  was  highly  complimented,  and  although  the  men 
who  followed  him  on  this  raid  suffered  a  great  deal  from 
the  excessive  heat  and  dust,  they  were  proud  that  they  be 
longed  to  Sheridan's  cavalry. 


80 


J.  Q.  ANDERSON. 
Colonel,  Heaver  Falls 


Pa. 


COLONEL  J.  Q.  ANDERSON. 

James  Quigley  Anderson  was  born  July  5,  1837,  in  Brigh 
ton  township,  Beaver  county,  Pennsylvania,  ttear  the  county 
seat.  His  father,  Hugh  B.  Anderson,  was  a  farmer.  There 
were  two  children  in  the  family,  a  son  and  daughter.  James 
was  the  oldest.  His  father  and  mother  were  Presbyterians, 
Mr.  Anderson  being  an  elder  in  the  Beaver  Presbyterian 
Church  for  many  years.  His  son  received  his  early  educa 
tion  in  the  district  school.  The  school  term  consisted  of 
six  months  each  year,  and  during  the  summer  and  fall 
months  James  worked  on  his  father's  farm.  Some  time  in 
the  early  fifties  his  parents  left  their  farm  and  took  up 
their  residence  in  Beaver,  where  his  father  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business. 

Soon  after  locating  in  Beaver,  James  entered  the  Beaver 
Academy,  and  remained  there  during  his  early  manhood 
days.  He  was  a  close  student,  not  only  in  the  day  school, 
but  equally  so  in  the  Sabbath-school.  He  had  the  reputa 
tion  of  being  candid,  courageous  and  independent ;  a  man  of 
regular  and  temperate  habits,  who  laid  deep  and  strong  the 
foundation  of  an  unblemished  character,  carrying  himself 
with  dignity,  and  yet  with  grace  and  courtesy. 

After  his  graduation  in  the  Beaver  Academy,  his  parents 
placed  him  at  school  in  one  of  the  eastern  colleges,  where  he 
took  a  course  of  civil  engineering.  He  returned  from  school 
in  1859,  soon  after  accepted  a  position  under  the  govern 
ment,  and  was  sent  to  the  State  of  Missouri,  where  he  fol 
lowed  his  chosen  profession,  civil  engineering.  Later  he 
\\as  transferred  to  the  State  of  Kansas  and  assisted  in  the 
survey  of  the  territory  on  which  now  stands  Kansas  City. 
He  remained  there  until  the  summer  of  1862,  when  Presi 
dent  Lincoln  issued  his  call  for  three  hundred  thousand  vol 
unteers  to  serve  three  years,  or  during  the  war.  It  was  at 
this  time  that  young  Anderson's  spirit,  having  been  caught 
up  by  the  flaming  enthusiasm  which  swept  like  a  prairie  fire 
throughout  the  North,  hastened  to  his  native  county  of 
Beaver  to  offer  his  services  to  his  country. 

81 


COLONEL  J.  Q.  ANDERSON 

Mr.  Anderson  was  instrumental  in  obtaining  authority 
from  the  governor  of  Pennsylvania  to  recruit  a  company  of 
volunteer  cavalry,  which  later  became  Company  A  of  the 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  This  regiment  was  or 
ganized  at  Harrisburg  on  the  i8th  day  of  October,  1862. 

James  Quigley  Anderson  was  commissioned  first  lieuten 
ant  of  Company  A,  September  6,  1862;  promoted  to  captain 
December  13,  1862;  to  major,  June  13,  1863;  to  lieutenant- 
colonel,  April  30,  1864;  to  colonel,  January  23,  1865;  dis 
charged,  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 

Colonel  Anderson  for  some  months  previous  to  the  close 
of  the  war  had  been  in  poor  health.  Notwithstanding  his 
enfeebled  health,  he  was  in  the  saddle  early  and  late,  ever 
prompt  and  efficient,  and  especially  so  during  an  engagement 
with  the  enemy.  During  the  last  year  of  his  service  his 
faithful  orderly,  Mr.  McBrier,  of  Company  A,  was  ever  at 
his  side  to  assist  him  to  mount  his  horse. 

When  in  battle,  though  weak  and  scarcely  able  to  ride, 
his  voice,  in  giving  commands,  was  strong,  clear  and  dis 
tinct,  so  that  it  could  be  heard  all  along  the  line.  A  short 
time  before  the  close  of  the  war,  Colonel  Anderson  became 
very  much  reduced  by  disease,  which  caused  him  to  retire 
from  service.  When  in  command  of  his  regiment  he  took 
a  personal  interest  in  every  detail  of  camp  and  march.  His 
earnest  solicitude  for  the  comfort  and  safety  of  his  men 
endeared  him  to  every  one  of  his  command.  He  was  al 
ways  with  the  boys  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight,  had  receiv 
ed  several  slight  wounds,  and  had  several  horses  killed 
from  under  him.  He  was  highly  esteemed  by  both  the  offi 
cers  and  rank  and  file  of  his  regiment. 

He  was  a  man  of  recognized  ability,  and  of  the  most  ex 
alted  character,  with  a  classic  face  and  superb  form.  Tall, 
erect  and  commanding,  he  would  have  been  selected  among 
thousands  of  men  as  the  ideal  soldier.  His  very  presence 
commanded  respect  and  inspired  confidence.  None  who  saw 
Colonel  Anderson  doubted  his  certain  promotion  to  still 
higher  command,  if  his  life  had  been  spared. 

Shortly  after  his  return  to  his  native  town  of  Beaver,  the 
chivalrous  soldier,  the  noble-hearted  gentleman  was  fur- 

82 


COLONEL  J.  Q.  ANDERSON 

loughed,  forever  furloughed  from  earth,  battles  and  care. 
He  died  at  his  father's  home  in  Beaver,  October  16,  1865, 
and  was  laid  to  rest  in  the  Beaver  cemetery  near  the  home 
of  his  birth,  where  he  will  sleep  until  the  roll  call  sounds 
on  the  other  shore. 


SHERIDAN'S  TREVILIAN  RAID. 

Owing  to  the  severe  service  of  the  cavalry  during  the 
month  of  May,  1864,  quite  a  good  many  men  and  horses 
were  disabled  and  the  effective  force  of  the  cavalry  was 
reduced  very  materially. 

On  June  5,  1864,  an  order  was  issued  from  headquarters 
to  have  all  the  sick  and  dismounted  men  sent  to  White 
House  Landing,  and,  on  June  6,  1864,  three  days'  ra 
tions,  two  days'  feed  for  the  horses  and  sixty  rounds  of 
ammunition  were  issued ;  and,  on  the  same  day,  Generals  Al 
fred  T.  A.  Torbert  and  D.  Me.  M.  Gregg's  divisions  were 
concentrated  at  New  Castle,  Va.  Here  they  were  joined  by 
reserve  ammunition  wagons,  one  medical  wagon,  eight  am 
bulances  and  a  small  bridge  of  canvas  pontoons.  To  the 
subordinate  officers  and  men  this  move  looked  like  another 
raid.  Much  reticence  was  observed,  and  evidently  but 
very  few  were  informed  of  the  contemplated  movement. 

On  June  7,  1864,  General  P.  H.  Sheridan  arrived  in 
camp,  and  immediately  the  command  was  in  motion,  cross 
ing  the  Pamunkey  River  at  New  Castle  and  marching  to 
near  Aylett's,  where  we  camped  for  the  night.  Early  on 
the  morning  of  June  8th,  we  marched  to  Pole  Cat  Station, 
about  eight  miles  from  Chesterfield.  June  9,  1864,  we  fol 
lowed  the  North  Anna  River,  and  bivouacked  for  the  night 
at  North  East  Creek.  On  the  morning  of  June  loth,  the 
command  passed  near  the  old  battlefield  of  Spottsylvania 
Court  House,  .where  a  Union  and  Confederate  hospital  was 
located.  The  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  was  detail 
ed  to  proceed  to  the  hospital,  to  bring  with  them  such  of  the 
Union  prisoners  as  could  be  moved.  Arriving  at  the  hospi 
tal,  a  formal  surrender  was  demanded,  after  which  all  the 
disabled  Confederates  were  paroled,  and  those  who  could 
be  moved,  both  Union  and  Confederates,  were  brought  with 
us. 

By  this  diversion  we  lost  fully  one  day's  march  in  keep 
ing  up  with  the  main  column,  and  were  obliged  to  make  a 
forced  march,  day  and  night.  During  the  night  we  were 
greatly  harassed  by  bushwhackers,  who  followed  the  column 


SHERIDAN'S  TREVILIAN  RAID 

and  fired  upon  our  men  as  opportunity  offered.  We  caught 
up  with  the  commands  near  Trevilian  Station  during  the 
afternoon  of  June  nth,  and  found  it  heavily  engaged.  We 
were  immediately  ordered  on  the  field  in  support  of  other 
troops,  but,  as  my  memory  serves  me  now,  we  took  no  part 
in  the  fight  that  day.  The  fighting  was  renewed  the  fol 
lowing  morning. 

At  a  critical  moment  during  the  engagement,  General 
Sheridan  rode  up  to  General  Devin,  our  brigade  comman 
der,  and  asked  him  if  he  had  a  regiment  that  could  break 
the  enemy's  line  in  yonder  woods.  General  Devin  replied, 
"Yes,  I  have,"  and  sent  for  the  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry, 
Colonel  William  Sackett,  commanding.  The  regiment 
promptly  responded,  and  was  ordered  to  dismount.  Colonel 
Sackett  received  his  orders  from  General  Sheridan  and  was 
advised  to  move  into  the  woods  cautiously,  when  he  re 
plied,  "All  hell  cannot  stop  my  men."  The  men,  with 
Colonel  Sackett  in  the  lead,  sprang  into  the  woods.  About 
fifty  officers  and  men  fell,  but  the  enemy  was  routed. 

The  whole  line  then  advanced,  with  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  in  support.  The  new 
York  Dragoons  and  the  Fourth  New  York  Cavalry  also  ad 
vanced  on  the  flanks,  and  about  one  hundred  prisoners  were 
captured.  The  fighting  continued  all  day.  The  forces  were 
about  evenly  divided,  and  seemingly  no  decided  advantage 
was  gained  on  either  side.  Because  General  Sheridan's 
ammunition  was  almost  exhausted,  and  because  of  the  large 
number  of  wounded  to  be  taken  care  of,  he  withdrew  from 
the  field  during  the  night  of  the  I2th  of  June,  1864,  taking 
with  him  about  three  hundred  men  wounded  and  about  the 
same  number  of  prisoners.  About  one  hundred  or  more 
wounded  were  left  in  hurriedly  constructed  hospitals  in 
charge  of  a  surgeon.  General  Sheridan  in  his  official  re 
port  of  this  expedition  reported  a  loss  of  about  three  hun 
dred  men  killed  and  captured,  of  which  number  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  had  its  proportionate  share. 
The  return  march  was  made  virtually  over  the  same  route 
as  the  advance,  recrossing  the  North  Anna  River  at  Car 
penter's  Ford,  June  13,  1864. 

85 


SHERIDAN'S  TREVILIAN  RAID 

June  1 4th,  we  reached  Shady  Grove. 

June  1 5th,  we  camped  near  Guinea  Station. 

June  1 6th,  we  passed  through  Bowling  Green. 

June  1 7th,  and  i8th,  we  made  short  marches  along  the 
Mattapony  River  until  we  reached  King  and  Queen  Court 
House. 

Having  been  cut  off  from  our  base  of  supplies  for  about 
ten  days  and  the  country  through  which  we  passed  being 
almost  barren,  we  experienced  some  trouble  foraging  enough 
subsistence  and  forage  to  keep  soul  and  body  together  un 
til  we  arrived  at  White  House  Landing,  on  the  Pamunkey 
River,  where  provisions  and  feed  were  obtained. 

For  want  of  a  sufficient  number  of  ambulances,  the 
wounded  were  carried  in  conveyances  of  almost  every  con 
ceivable  description;  and  because  of  the  intense  heat  and 
dusty  roads,  they  suffered  much  discomfort.  Many  horses 
became  worn  out  and  for  want  of  feed  were  abandoned 
along  the  route. 

The  command  reached  King  and  Queen  Court  House, 
June  19,  1864,  where  the  wounded,  prisoners,  dismounted 
men,  and  one  thousand  or  more  negroes,  men,  women  and 
children  who  had  followed  the  column,  were  sent,  under  an 
escort,  to  West  Point  where  they  were  delivered  to  the 
United  States  authorities. 

The  following  day,  June  20,  1864,  we  reached  the  Pa 
munkey  River  where  a  large  quantity  of  government  sup 
plies  was  stored  under  the  protection  of  several  United 
States  gunboats  and  a  few  regiments  of  colored  troops. 

Here  we  expected  a  few  days'  rest,  but  the  Rebel  cavalry 
had  followed  us  and  were  now  threatening  an  attack.  Gen 
eral  Thomas  C.  Devin's  brigade  and  a  few  shells  from  one 
of  the  gunboats  drove  them  from  the  field. 

On  June  21,  1864,  Sheridan's  cavalry,  together  with  all 
the  supply  trains  and  colored  troops,  crossed  the  Pamunkey 
River  on  the  old  railroad  bridge  which  had  been  reconstruct 
ed  during  the  previous  day  and  night.  After  the  troops  had 
all  crossed  the  river,  General  Devin's  brigade  moved  towards 
Baltimore  Cross  Roads  where  the  regiment  soon  encountered 
the  enemy  and  had  a  sharp  engagement,  driving  him  across 

86 


SHERIDAN'S  TREVILIAN  RAID 

the  Chickahominy  River.  On  the  morning  of  June  22, 
1864,  our  entire  division  (General  Torbert's)  was  sent  to 
Jones'  Bridge  to  secure  the  crossing,  and,  during  the  night, 
all  the  wagons  and  troops  crossed  safely  to  the  south  side  of 
the  Chickahominy  River.  The  following  day,  June  23,  our 
brigade — General  Devin's — moved  up  the  river  and,  when 
in  the  vicinity  of  Long  Bridge,  encountered  the  enemy  in 
force.  A  sharp  fight  ensued  in  which  we  were  supported 
by  the  colored  troops. 

On  July  24,  1864,  General  Torbert's  division,  with  the 
wagon  train,  moved  to  Charles  City  Court  House,  while  Gen 
eral  Gregg's  division  engaged  the  enemy  who  made  a  deter 
mined  effort  during  the  day  to  capture  our  train.  A  night 
attack  was  threatened  and  we  stood  to  horse  all  night,  but 
were  not  disturbed.  June  25,  1864,  tne  command  reached 
Windham's  Landing  on  the  James  River,  where,  after  es 
tablishing  a  strong  rear  picket  line,  we  went  into  camp.  Here 
during  the  26th  and  2/th  of  June,  1864,  all  the  wagons  were 
ferried  across  the  James  River,  and  the  following  day,  June 
28,  1864,  the  troops  crossed  on  a  pontoon  bridge,  and  we 
were  once  more  with  General  Meade's  army,  now  on  the 
south  side  of  the  James  River,  and  went  into  camp.  Here 
we  surely  thought  we  would  get  a  much  needed  rest,  but, 
at  4  p.  m.,  June  29,  1864,  the  bugles  sounded  "Boots  and 
Saddles,"  and  the  regiment,  with  the  rest  of  the  cavalry,  was 
marched  hurriedly  to  Prince  George  Court  House  and  stood 
to  horse  all  night.  The  third  division  of  the  Cavalry  Corps 
(General  Wilson's)  was  badly  defeated  in  a  reconnoissance 
and  attempt  to  cut  the  Weldon  Railroad. 

July  3,  1864,  we  marched  to  near  Light  House  Point  on 
the  James  River  and  went  into  camp.  July  4,  1864,  a  na^- 
ional  salute  was  fired  by  one  of  the  gunboats  on  the  river, 
and,  during  the  night,  we  witnessed  some  fireworks  that 
were  set  off  at  City  Point.  Here,  too,  we  were  served  with 
canned  and  fresh  fruits  and  other  delicacies  which  were  dis 
tributed  to  the  troops  by  the  Sanitary  Commission.  These 
were  very  much  appreciated  by  the  men.  We  also  received 
three  months'  pay,  and  there  were  good  opportunities  to  re 
plenish  our  wardrobe  which  had  been  reduced  to  the  scant- 

87 


SHERIDAN'S  TREVILIAN  RAID 

iest  necessities.  The  entire  Cavalry  Corps  remained  in 
this  vicinity  for  about  three  weeks,  thus  giving  the  men  and 
horses  a  much  needed  rest.  Worn  out  horses  were  condemn 
ed  and  new  ones  received,  but  not  near  enough  to  remount 
all  the  men  who  were  dismounted.  In  view  of  the  contem 
plated  transfer  of  two  of  the  cavalry  divisions  to  the  Shen- 
andoah  Valley,  about  2,000  dismounted  men  were  sent  on 
United  State  transports  to  Washington,  D.  C.,  and  thence 
to  Camp  Stoneman  where  they  were  remounted  and  sent 
to  their  respective  commands. 

July  1 6,  1864,  Colonel  Devin's  entire  brigade,  to  which  the 
regiment  belonged,  was  sent  to  the  extreme  left  of  General 
Meade's  army  to  do  picket  duty.  July  21,  1864,  the  officers 
of  the  brigade  presented  Colonel  Thomas  C.  Devin  with  a 
fine  horse  and  complete  horse  equipments,  valued  at  $300. 

There  was  general  rejoicing  and  good  cheer  on  the  occa 
sion.  One  of  the  special  features  was  the  splendid  music  fur 
nished  by  the  Seventeenth  Regiment  Pennsylvania  Cavalry 
Band  during  the  ceremonies.  The  band  also  gave  a  concert 
at  brigade  headquarters  in  the  evening  and  late  into  the 
night. 

By  July  26,  1864,  a  mine  had  been  completed  under  one 
of  the  Confederate  forts  in  front  of  General  Burnside's 
corps.  Preparations  were  made  for  a  general  advance  of 
the  Union  army  at  the  time  of  the  explosion  of  the  mine. 
Four  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  July  30,  1864,  was  the  time 
fixed  for  the  explosion.  To  make  the  surprise  more  effec 
tive,  General  Grant  made  a  demonstration  on  General  Lee's 
right.  So  on  July  26,  1864,  the  entire  Cavalry  Corps  was 
concentrated  at  Deep  Bottom,  while,  during  the  night,  the 
Second  Corps,  commanded  by  General  Winfield  S.  Hancock, 
crossed  the  James  River.  All  night  the  infantry  passed  in 
front  of  our  lines  while  we  were  waiting.  About  daylight 
on  the  morning  of  the  27th,  the  cavalry  followed  the  Sec 
ond  Corps.  Before  the  cavalry  had  all  crossed,  we  heard 
the  booming  of  cannon,  and  the  cavalry  were  hurried  to  the 
front  to  protect  General  Hancock's  flank.  The  cavalry  ad 
vanced  on  the  New  Market  Road  as  far  as  Darbytown.  The 
enemy  evidently  were  completely  surprised. 


SHERIDAN'S  TREVILIAN  RAID 

The  cavalry  scouted  the  country  in  every  direction  watch 
ing  the  enemy's  movements.  While  frequent  skirmishes  oc 
curred,  general  engagements  were  avoided.  It  was  soon 
discovered,  however,  that  the  Confederates  were  being  rein 
forced,  and  the  engagement  in  the  vicinity  of  Darbytown  be 
came  general.  A  new  line  was  formed,  with  the  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  on  the  left  and  the  Sixth  New  York 
Cavalry  on  the  right. 

A  charge  resulted  in  driving  the  enemy  back,  a  number 
of  prisoners  and  several  battle-flags  being  captured.  Skir 
mishing  was  kept  up  continuously,  July  2Qth  and  3Oth, 
shifting  from  one  position  to  another  without  bringing  on  a 
general  engagement,  thus  keeping  up  the  deception,  and 
causing  General  Lee  to  transfer  a  large  portion  of  his  forces 
to  the  north  side  of  the  James  River,  while  General  Grant's 
real  purpose  was  to  attack  General  Lee  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river,  or  in  his  immediate  front. 

On  the  night  of  July  30,  1864,  the  Second  Corps  and  the 
greater  portion  of  the  cavalry  recrossed  the  James  River  for 
the  purpose  of  taking  part  in  the  assault  after  the  explosion 
of  the  mine.  This  took  place  at  4:45  a.  m.,  and,  as  far  as 
the  explosion  itself  was  concerned,  was  a  success.  But  for 
some  reasons,  which  have  never  been  fully  explained,  the 
assault  was  badly  managed,  resulting  in  a  failure  to  accom 
plish  what  had  been  expected  by  those  who  planned  the 
scheme. 

About  this  time  the  Confederate  General  J.  Early,  with 
an  army  of  about  20,000  troops,  became  alarmingly  active  in 
the  Shenandoah  Valley,  again  threatening  Maryland  and 
Pennsylvania.  July  30,  1864 ,  Chambersburg  was  burned, 
and  all  sorts  of  wild  rumors  were  afloat  that  General 
Early's  army  was  laying  waste  all  southern  Pennsylvania. 
The  constantly  disturbing  conditions  so  far  north  made 
it  necessary  to  confront  the  Confederate  army  with  a  force 
strong  enough  to  prevent  any  further  raids  and  excursions 
into  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania.  So,  on  July  31,  1864, 
General  P.  H.  Sheridan  was  placed  in  command  of  the 
Department  of  the  Shenandoah,  with  an  army  sufficiently 
strong  to  drive  General  Early  -from  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 

89 


COLONEL  COE  DURLAND. 

Colonel  Coe  Durland  was  born  in  Greenville,  Orange 
county,  in  the  state  of  New  York,  October  31,  1832.  He 
was  a  son  of  John  H.  Durland,  a  merchant.  He  attended 
the  public  schools  and  later  received  a  practical  training  in 
mercantile  pursuits.  In  1858  he  removed  to  Honesdale, 
Wayne  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  there  entered  into  busi 
ness,  which  he  successfully  continued  until  1862.  He  was 
then  in  the  prime  of  his  early  manhood,  thirty  years  of  age, 
and  full  of  life  and  energy,  but  decided  to  sacrifice  all  his 
business  prospects,  if  necessary,  in  aiding  an  imperiled  coun 
try.  He  was  active  in  recruiting  a  company  locally  known 
as  the  "Wayne  County  Cavalry."  On  the  organization  of 
the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  he  was 
commissioned  major  and,  in  November,  1862,  the  regiment 
was  sent  to  the  front.  From  that  time  until  the  close  of  the 
war  Colonel  Durland's  record  is  a  prominent  part  of  the 
history  of  the  regiment.  Colonel  Durland  possessed  many 
of  the  elements  that  contribute  to  the  efficiency  and  succcess 
of  an  officer  in  command  of  men.  He  won  their  respect  and 
confidence.  He  was  ever  at  his  post  of  duty.  No  hardships 
or  dangers  drew  him  aside.  Personal  bravery  was  quite 
conspicuous  in  his  career  and  was  tested  on  many  a  battle 
field.  He  had  command  of  the  regiment  in  at  least  thirty- 
three  engagements  in  which  the  regiment  participated.  In 
one  of  these  he  received  a  slight  scalp  wound  from  a  minnie 
ball,  and  during  his  entire  service  had  five  horses  shot  from 
under  him.  At  the  battle  of  Five  Forks,  of  the  thirteen 
commissioned  officers  of  the  regiment  who  went  into  that 
fight,  six  were  killed  or  wounded.  He  was  always  with  the 
regiment,  discharging  duty  and  bearing  every  privation  inci 
dent  to  the  service ;  stimulating  his  men  by  his  example,  di 
recting  their  movements  with  a  readiness  and  judgment  that 
won  for  him  the  reputation  of  being  one  of  the  best  field 
officers  in  the  Cavalry  Corps.  His  bravery  never  failed  him 
and  was  an  inspiration  to  the  men  he  commanded.  At  his 

90 


O>K    DrRLANl). 

Colonel,  Honesdale,  Pa. 


COLONEL  COE  DURLAND 

funeral  the  author,  H.  P.  Moyer,  through  the  officiating 
chaplain,  paid  him  the  following  tribute : 

"Because  of  the  love  and  esteem  I  bear  for  my  old  com 
mander  and  comrade,  Colonel  Coe  Durland,  I  am  prompted 
in  this  public  way  to  pay  my  last  tribute  of  respect  to  the 
memory  of  an  old  and  highly  esteemed  friend.  My  acquaint 
ance  with  Colonel  Coe  Durland  was  principally  from  a  mili 
tary  standpoint,  as  the  commanding  officer  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  of  which 
regiment  we  were  associate  members.  Personally  I  always 
considered  myself  fortunate  to  serve  under  his  command 
and  thus  to  learn  to  know  him  so  well.  It  gives  me  great 
pleasure  to  express  the  opinion  that  no  braver  and  better 
qualified  officer  ever  commanded  a  regiment  than  he.  From 
the  time  he  took  command  of  the  regiment  until  the  day  it 
was  mustered  out  of  the  service,  he  did  all  for  the  honor 
and  success  of  the  regiment  that  any  officer  of  similar  rank 
could  reasonably  be  expected  to  do.  His  presence  among 
the  men  of  the  regiment  always  inspired  hope  and  confi 
dence.  He  loved  his  men  and  always  seemed  anxious  for 
their  welfare  and  comfort.  Because  of  his  bravery,  good 
judgment  and  popularity,  both  among  the  officers  and  the 
rank  and  file,  to  him  more  than  to  any  other  officer  was  the 
regiment  indebted  for  its  illustrious  record  and  the  many 
favorable  official  recognitions  of  its  distinguished  service. 
Colonel  Durland  was  not  possessed  with  that  brilliant  and 
dazzling  oratory  which  frequently  captivates  the  public 
mind,  but  for  good  judgment,  firmness  of  purpose  and  con 
scientious  discharge  of  duty,  he  commanded  the  respect  of 
all  who  came  in  contact  with  him.  In  one  of  the  darkest 
periods  of  our  nation's  history,  possibly  the  most  critical 
period,  he  realized  his  duty  to  his  country  and  became  one  of 
its  ablest  and  most  faithful  defenders,  and  lived  long  enough 
to  see  and  enjoy  the  prosperity  of  his  country  he  so  gallant 
ly  helped  to  save." 

In  1878,  when  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry  Association,  was  organized,  composed 
entirely  of  survivors  of  the  old  regiment,  Colonel  Durland 
became  its  first  honored  president,  which  position  he  held  at 

91 


COLONEL  COE  DURLAND 

the  time  of  his  death,  and  the  fact  that  he  never  failed  to 
be  present  at  any  of  the  annual  reunions  of  the  survivors  of 
the  regiment  evidences  the  interest  he  took  in  the  associa 
tion. 

His  generous  donation,  in  which  he  was  joined  by  Colonel 
W.  Thompson,  of  the  same  regiment,  enabled  the  survivors 
of  the  regiment  to  erect,  at  Gettysburg,  one  of  the  finest  and 
most  artistic  monuments  on  the  battlefield,  a  fitting  and  last 
ing  tribute  to  the  memory  of  the  regiment  he  had  the  dis 
tinguished  honor  to  command.  He  is  dead,  but  his  rare 
qualities  will  remain  as  pleasant  memories  to  those  who 
knew  him  best. 

The  following  is  his  military  record :  Elected  first  lieuten 
ant  of  Company  M,  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry,  September  27,  1862 ;  elected  captain, 
October  23,  1862;  elected  major,  November  20,  1862;  elect 
ed  lieutenant-colonel,  February  13,  1865;  brevetted  colonel 
U.  S.  volunteers,  March  13,  1865,  for  conspicuous  gallantry 
in  action. 

In  closing  this  tribute  we  give  a  brief  summary  of  his 
character. 

In  business  affairs  he  was  an  example  of  commercial  in 
tegrity.  As  a  citizen,  influential,  patriotic  and  loyal.  As  a 
soldier,  brave;  as  an  officer,  skillful ;  as  a  man,  philanthropic, 
unostentatious  and  magnanimous. 

After  the  war,  Colonel  Durland  returned  to  the  pursuits 
of  peaceful  industry.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  Durland- 
Thompson  Shoe  Manufacturing  Company,  in  Honesdale, 
Pa.  Much  of  the  fame  of  Honesdale  as  a  manufacturing 
town  is  due  to  Colonel  Durland.  His  business  record  is 
without  reproach ;  as  an  employer  of  men  he  was  kind  and 
considerate. 

His  home  life  was  most  affectionate  and  beautiful,  full 
of  thoughtfulness  for  wife  and  children,  regarding  each 
one  with  warmest  affection,  finding  in  home  the  most  enjoy 
able  society,  the  dearest  spot  on  earth. 

The  colonel's  death  occurred  October  22,  1903,  and  was 
sudden  and  unexpected.  The  funeral  services  were  held  at 
the  family  residence  in  Waynesboro,  Pa.,  October  26,  1903. 

92 


COLONEL  COE  BORLAND 

Rev.  Henry  Wheeler,  chaplain  of  the  Seventeenth  Regi 
ment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  delivered  the  funeral 
discourse,  and  neighbors  and  comrades  carried  him  to  his 
final  resting-place.  Amid  the  silence  that  followed  the  bene 
diction  the  bugle  notes  of  "taps"  were  sounded,  and  the  last 
token  of  respect  that  could  be  tendered  to  Colonel  Coe  Dur- 
land  was  performed. 


93 

7— 17th   R. 


TRANSFER  OF  THE  REGIMENT  FROM  THE 

ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC  TO  THE 

ARMY  OF  THE  SHENANDOAH. 

On  the  third  day  of  August,  1864,  the  regiment,  with  the 
brigade  and  division,  embarked  at  City  Point,  Virginia,  on 
transports  for  Washington,  D.  C.,  arriving  at  Guisborough, 
just  below  Washington,  August  6th,  where  it  disembarked. 
During  the  night  of  August  6th,  it  marched  through  George 
town,  the  city  of  Washington  and  beyond  as  far  as  Tan- 
nellytown,  Maryland,  where  it  arrived  shortly  after  mid 
night  and  made  a  short  stop.  Marching  the  regiment 
through  the  city  of  Washington,  during  the  night,  was  the 
subject  of  much  complaint  on  the  part,  of  the  men,  and 
the  officers  of  the  regiment  experienced  considerable  trouble 
in  keeping  the  men  in  line.  As  a  result  of  the  restraint  the 
men  amused  themselves  by  repeated  and  rousing  cheers  for 
"Honest  Abraham  Lincoln"  and  the  various  cabinet  officers 
down  to  the  minutest  officials  in  the  War  and  other  Public 
Departments. 

August  7th, — we  marched  through  Rockville,  Darnes- 
town,  and  Dawsonville,  Maryland,  and  camped,  for  the 
night,  at  Monacacy  Church. 

August  8th, — The  march  was  continued  through  Point 
of  Rocks,  Petersville,  and  Knoxville  to  Pleasant  Valley, 
Maryland,  where  we  again  camped  for  the  night. 

August  9th, — We  crossed  the  Potomac  River  at  Harper's 
Ferry,  marched  to  Halltown,  went  into  camp  for  the  night 
and  were  again  on  Virginia  soil. 

August  loth, — We  marched  several  miles  beyond  Charles- 
town  where  we  joined  the  other  cavalry  commands  which 
had  preceded  us.  We  were  hopeful  that  here  we  would 
get  a  few  days'  rest,  but  the  following  day,  August  nth, 
the  entire  Cavalry  Corps  made  a  reconnoissance  down  the 
Shenandoah  Valley,  following  the  Front  Royal  Pike,  and 
met  the  enemy  in  force  in  the  vicinity  of  Newtown.  Our 
brigade  advanced  on  the  right  side  of  the  pike,  and  found 
the  enemy  strongly  entrenched  behind  stone  walls.  In  a 
mounted  charge,  we  failed  to  dislodge  them  and  were  re- 

94 


TRANSFER  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

pulsed  with  heavy  losses.  The  Sixth  New  York  and  Sev 
enteenth  Pennsylvania  were  then  dismounted,  ordered  to 
construct  temporary  breastworks,  and  repulsed  several 
charges  made  by  the  enemy.  In  the  meantime  the  Re 
serve  Brigade  engaged  the  enemy  on  the  left  side  of  the 
pike.  The  entire  line  again  advanced,  and  the  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania,  Sixth  New  York,  and  Ninth  New  York,  in 
the  order  named,  successfully  charged  the  enemy's  lines, 
driving  them  from  the  field  in  great  confusion,  capturing 
a  number  of  prisoners. 

August  1 2th, — The  brigade  marched  to  Newtown,  and 
our  regiment  was  sent  out  on  a  reconnoitering  expedition 
in  the  direction  of  Cedar  Creek ;  but,  outside  of  picking  up 
a  few  stragglers,  nothing  of  special  interest  occurred.  In 
the  evening  the  regiment  joined  the  command  which  had 
during  the  day  moved  to  Middletown. 

August  I3th, — The  entire  Second  Brigade  of  our  division 
crossed  Cedar  Creek  and  marched  to  near  Strasburg.  Scout 
ing  parties  were  sent  out  in  various  directions,  but  no  enemy 
was  found.  The  brigade  recrossed  Cedar  Creek  the  same 
day  and  joined  the  division  in  the  vicinity  of  Middletown 
and  camped  for  the  night. 

August  1 4th, — The  brigade  moved  to  Cedarville,  and  our 
regiment  made  a  reconnoissance  on  the  road  leading  to 
Front  Royal,  returning  during  the  night. 

August  1 5th, — More  troops  arrived,  indicating  a  general 
engagement.  During  the  afternoon  of  the  :6th,  a  large 
force  of  the  Rebel  cavalry  crossed  the  river  at  Front  Royal 
and  vigorously  attacked  the  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry  who 
were  picketing  the  Front  Royal  Pike.  Although  this  regi 
ment  was  largely  outnumbered,  about  one  half  of  the  men 
being  dismounted  and  having  an  advantageous  position,  the 
Ninth  held  the  enemy  in  check  until  the  Seventeenth  Penn 
sylvania  and  the  Sixth  New  York  were  placed  in  support 
and  later,  charged  the  enemy,  driving  them  across  the  river 
again,  capturing  a  battle-flag  and  a  number  of  prisoners. 

August  1 7th, — Early  in  the  morning  the  regiment  march 
ed  to  Nineveh,  W.  Va.,  and  in  the  afternoon  to  near  Chapel 
Run  where  it  was  assigned  to  picket  duty. 

95 


TRANSFER  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

August  1 9th, — Colonel  Cesnola,  of  the  Fourth  New 
York  Cavalry,  assumed  command  of  the  Second  Brigade, 
Colonel  Thomas  C.  Devin,  its  distinguished  commander, 
having  been  wounded  at  Front  Royal,  W.  Va. 

August  2Oth, — The  regiment  retired  to  Berryville,  W.  Va., 
and  did  picket  duty  during  the  night.  The  following  morn 
ing,  August  2  ist,  the  Reserve  Brigade  was  heavily  attacked 
by  the  Rebel  infantry  on  the  Winchester  Pike,  and  our  bri 
gade  was  hurried  to  their  support.  Later  in  the  day,  our 
regiment  covered  the  retirement  of  the  Union  forces  in 
the  direction  of  Charlestown,  and  during  the  night  did 
picket  duty,  whilst  those  who  were  not  on  picket  stood  to 
horse  all  night. 

August  22d, — The  entire  brigade  reconnoitered  in  the 
direction  of  Shepherdstown.  The  regiment  was  advanced 
to  near  Shepherdstown  and  did  picket  duty  during  the 
night. 

August  25th, — The  brigade  aga'in  reconnoitered  in  the 
direction  of  Kearnsville,  and  soon  became  heavily  engaged 
with  the  Rebel  infantry.  Because  of  the  enemy  having 
weapons  of  longer  range  than  our  carbines,  we  suffered 
severely.  On  account  of  this  disadvantage  and  their  su 
perior  numbers,  we  were  ordered  to  retire  slowly  and  await 
reinforcements,  which  were  slow  in  coming  up.  We  were 
closely  followed  by  the  enemy  all  day.  In  one  of  the  posi 
tions  we  had  taken,  near  Shepherdstown,  we  were  at  once 
vigorously  attacked.  In  this  engagement  Colonel  Coe  Dur- 
land  was  ordered  to  charge  with  his  regiment,  and  open 
communication  with  the  First  Brigade,  which  had  been  cut 
off.  The  regiment  charged  gallantly,  driving  the  enemy 
back  into  a  woods,  but  were  there  met  by  a  new  line  and 
later  were  repulsed.  In  this  charge  Lieutenant  Jacob 
Potter,  of  Company  G,  was  killed.  The  regiment  suffered 
heavily  at  this  point.  We  had  exhausted  our  ammunition  and 
were  retired  to  near  Bolivar  Heights  where  ammunition  and 
other  supplies  were  issued  to  us. 

August  28th, — The  brigade  was  again  on  the  march  up 
the  valley.  We  met  the  enemy's  cavalry  at  Leetown  and 
drove  them  as  far  as  Smithfield.  The  fight  was  renewed 


TRANSFER  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

on  the  morning  of  the  29th,  our  regiment  occupying  the 
extreme  left  of  the  line  of  our  division.  After  several  skir 
mishes  with  the  enemy,  we  slowly  retired,  maintaining  our 
alignment  with  our  brigade  front. 

The  following  day,  August  3Oth,  we  marched  to  Berry- 
ville  and  went  into  camp.  During  the  next  ten  days  the 
regiment  was  almost  constantly  in  the  saddle. 

September  2d, — We  reconnoitered  in  the  direction  of 
Rippon,  and,  finding  no  enemy  we  returned  to  near  Berry- 
ville  the  same  night.  September  3d, — Our  entire  division 
marched  through  Berryville  to  White  Post  and  reconnoitered 
in  the  direction  of  Front  Royal.  In  the  meantime  the  Rebel 
infantry  had  moved  out  the  Winchester  Pike  as  far  as  Berry 
ville.  When  General  Torbert,  who  was  in  command  of  our 
division,  returned,  finding  Berryville  occupied  by  the  Rebels, 
he  was  obliged  to  leave  the  road  and  make  a  detour  over 
the  hills  and  fields  of  Berryville,  and  in  so  doing  his  flank 
was  attacked  by  the  enemy.  The  Sixth  New  York  Cavalry, 
which  was  in  the  advance  on  the  return  march,  was  com 
pletely  taken  by  surprise  and  thrown  into  some  confusion 
for  a  short  time.  Our  regiment  was  in  the  rear  of  the  Sixth 
New  York  and  was  double  quicked  to  the  front  in  its  sup 
port.  A  short  but  spirited  engagement  followed  in  which 
the  entire  division  became  engaged.  That  night  we  stood 
to  horse,  and  early  the  following  morning  we  moved  to  the 
right  of  our  infantry  line  near  Summit  Point. 

September  5th, — A  heavy  rainstorm  set  in  and  continued 
for  several  days  during  which  we  remained  in  camp.  Sep 
tember  8th,  the  regiment  marched  to  Smithfield,  and,  on  the 
9th,  was  sent  to  picket  a  ford  on  the  Opequon  River.  Dur 
ing  the  day  a  strong  force  of  the  Rebel  infantry  appeared 
on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  drove  off  our  pickets  and 
crossed  the  river.  A  sharp  skirmish  ensued,  during  which 
a  part  of  our  regiment  was  dismounted  and  held  the  enemy 
in  check  until  the  Ninth  New  York  and  the  Sixth  New 
York  came  to  our  support.  In  this  skirmish  Captain  Martin 
R.  Reinhold,  then  commanding  Company  I,  was  killed.  Com 
pany  I,  being  one  of  the  companies  that  was  dismounted, 
was  subject  to  a  terrific  fire  from  the  enemy's  infantry 

97 


TRANSFER  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

when  they  were  retired  from  the  skirmish  line,  having  lost 
a  number  of  men. 

On  the  9th  day  of  September,  the  First  New  York 
Dragoons,  under  command  of  Colonel  Alfred  Gibbs,  joined 
our  brigade.  Colonel  Gibbs  commanded  the  brigade  until 
the  I9th  of  September,  when  Colonel  Thomas  C.  Devin  re 
turned  and  again  took  command  of  the  brigade.  Colonel 
Devin  had  been  wounded  in  the  battle  of  Front  Royal  and 
sent  to  the  hospital.  Under  date  of  September  Qth,  Colonel 
Alfred  Gibbs,  of  the  First  New  York  Dragoons,  made  the 
following  official  report: — "I  have  the  honor  to  report  that 
I  have  assumed  command  of  the  Second  Brigade,  First 
Cavalry  Division,  last  night.  I  proceeded  with  the  brigade 
this  morning  up  the  Opequon  River.  I  have  burned  all  the 
mills  from  Smithfield  to  the  railroad,  except  a  small  one  be 
low  where  we  struck  the  stream,  which  will  be  dealt  with  at 
once  in  a  like  incendiary  manner.  We  met  opposition  at 
each  point,  but  prevailed  on  the  enemy  to  leave.  We  have 
captured  one  lieutenant  and  five  men,  who  will  be  sent  to 
your  headquarters.  I  am  returning  to  my  camp. 

"Respectfully,   your   obedient   servant, 
ALFRED  GIBBS,  Colonel  First  New  York  Dragoons." 

"To  Captain,  A.  E.  Dana,  Adjt.  Gen. 
First  Cavalry  Division." 

September  nth, — the  regiment  escorted  a  supply  train  to 
Charlestown  and,  on  the  I3th,  performed  a  similar  service 
from  Charlestown  to  the  front.  On  the  I5th  and  i6th,  the 
regiment  did  picket  duty  on  the  Opequon  River.  The  Rebel 
pickets  on  the  opposite  side  were  quite  friendly,  and  tobacco 
newspapers,  coffee  and  other  articles  were  exchanged. 

September  iSth, — The  entire  division  was  concentrated  in 
the  vicinity  of  Summit  Point  preparatory  to  a  general  move 
ment. 

September  iQth, — We  were  early  in  the  saddle  but  did 
not  move  until  about  noon  when  we  crossed  the  Opequon 
River,  at  Steven's  Ford  on  the  Charlestown  Road,  about 
three  miles  below  Berryville.  We  advanced  rapidly  along  the 


TRANSFER  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

Charlestown  Road  until  we  came  to  within  about  one  mile 
from  the  Winchester  Pike  when  a  short  halt  was  made, 
and  a  line  of. battle,  in  regimental  front,  was  formed.  The 
Second  Brigade  was  in  the  advance  and  the  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  was  in  the  lead  of  the  brigade. 

When  the  formation  of  the  line  was  completed,  two 
guns  were  fired  in  rapid  succession,  as  the  signal  for  the 
advance.  Then  the  bugle  at  brigade  headquarters  sounded, 
in  quick  succession,  "Forward,  trot,  charge."  The  country 
across  which  we  advanced  was  mostly  open  fields,  affording 
splendid  opportunities  for  cavalry  movements.  About  one 
mile  from  the  starting  point  we  approached  the  Winchester 
Pike  where  we  struck  the  enemy  with  such  force  that  their 
line  was  utterly  broken.  We  captured  several  battle-flags 
and  about  fifteen  hundred  prisoners.  The  fighting  was  con 
tinued  till  after  dark,  driving  the  enemy  through  Winches 
ter  like  a  whirlwind. 


99 


BREVET  LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  WILLIAM 
THOMPSON. 

Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  William  Thompson  was  born 
May  22,  1834,  at  Pottsville,  Schuylkill  county,  Pa.  He  was 
of  Scotch  lineage  and  his  American  ancestry  dates  to  1735, 
when  John  and  James  Thompson  came  to  Pennsylvania  and 
took  up  their  residence  in  Chester  county.  William  Thomp 
son,  the  grandfather  of  Colonel  William  Thompson,  served 
in  the  Revolutionary  War.  His  father,  Samuel  Thompson, 
was  born  in  1792,  and  died  in  Pottsville,  Pa.,  in  1851. 

In  Colonel  Thompson's  early  life  he  received  the  most 
careful  business  training  and  held  positions  of  honor  and 
trust  which  brought  to  him  large  financial  rewards.  Wlien 
the  War  of  the  Rebellion  broke  out  he  had  not  reached  the 
age  of  twenty-seven  years,  yet  he  had  already  taken  high 
rank  as  a  business  man  in  the  town  of  his  birth,  and  was  at 
the  head  of  a  well-established  and  profitable  banking  con 
cern. 

Full  of  patriotic  ardor,  his  impulse  was  to  go  at  once  to 
the  front,  but  the  exactions  of  his  position  were  such  that  in 
justice  to  others,  as  well  as  himself,  some  months  of  delay 
were  unavoidable  before  he  felt  justified  in  following  the 
trend  of  his  inclinations  and  becoming  an  active  defender  of 
the  Union.  In  September,  1862,  War  Governor  Andrew  G. 
Curtin  gave  him  authority  to  recruit  a  cavalry  company  in 
Schuylkill  county,  and  within  two  months  he  was  mustered 
into  service  as  captain  of  Company  H,  Seventeenth  Penn 
sylvania  Cavalry,  which  belonged  to  the  Second  Brigade, 
First  Division,  Cavalry  Corps,  and  served  under  the  suc 
cessive  commands  of  Generals  Pleasonton,  Buford,  Mer- 
ritt  and  Devin,  with  the  greatest  efficiency  and  distinction. 
For  several  months,  commencing  in  May,  1863,  Captain 
Thompson  commanded  General  George  G.  Meade's  escort — 
Companies  D  and  H — and  later  was  with  General  P.  H. 
Sheridan  in  his  battles ;  his  active  service,  in  fact,  included 
participation  in  nearly  every  engagement  in  which  the  Union 

100 


WILLIAM  THOMPSON 

cavalry  took  part  in  the  operations  of  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac  during  the  last  two  years  of  the  war.  He  was  severely 
wounded  in  the  right  shoulder  at  Kearneystown,  W.  Va.  For 
his  distinguished  and  meritorious  conduct  in  the  field  he 
was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  major  in  February,  1865,  and 
brevetted  lieutenant-colonel  on  the  I3th  of  the  following 
month.  It  was  only  when  incapacitated  by  .his  wounds  that 
he  was  ever  absent  from  the  front;  and,  with  these  excep 
tions,  he  never  lost  a  day's  duty  while  he  was  in  the  service. 

His  army  career  involved  the  numberless  hardships  in 
camp  and  field  to  which  an  impetuous  and  truly  patriotic 
soldier  is  subject,  but  from  the  hour  in  which  he  secured  his 
first  recruit  under  Governor  Curtin's  commission  to  the 
prouder  one  when  he  was  first  in  command  of  his  regiment  in 
a  reconnoissance  toward  Appomattox  Court  House  at  mid 
night,  April  8,  1865,  which  demonstrated  the  presence  of  the 
Army  of  Northern  Virginia  in  force,  every  responsibility 
was  promptly  taken,  every  duty  cheerfully  performed,  every 
discomfort  uncomplainingly  endured.  His  record  as  a  sol 
dier,  from  first  to  last,  was  a  brilliant  one  and  brought  with 
it  its  own  immediate  reward.  He  was  loved  by  his  com 
mand,  respected  by  his  superior  officers,  and  honored  by  all. 

Colonel  Thompson's  interest  in  his  companions  in  the  army 
did  not  end  with  the  war.  His  regiment  claimed  the  honor 
of  firing  the  first  gun  in  the  great  conflict  at  Gettysburg,  and 
to  him  to  a  great  extent  is  due  the  erection,  on  that  historic 
field,  of  a  grand  monument  to  the  memory  of  those  who  gave 
up  their  lives  in  the  struggle.  In  private  life,  the  old  sol 
dier  of  whatever  rank  was  a  comrade ;  the  widows  and  or 
phans  of  the  war  the  object  of  his  tender  and  generous 
solicitude. 

Upon  the  close  of  his  service  in  the  field,  Colonel  Thomp 
son  again  turned  his  attention  to  the  calling  for  which  his 
early  education  and  experience  had  so  thoroughly  fitted  him. 
Possessed  of  a  fair  competence  by  inheritance  from  his 
father,  he  became  a  large  stockholder  and  president  of  the 
Miners'  National  Bank  of  Pottsville,  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  substantial'  houses  in  the  State ;  and,  in  the  course  of 
his  long  and  honorable  connection  with  that  institution,  he 

101 


WILLIAM  THOMPSON 

very  largely  increased  his  fortune.  His  dealings  in  real  es 
tate  were  judicious  and  profitable,  and  his  holdings  in  valu 
able  property  included  many  of  the  finest  business  blocks  in 
Pottsville.  An  attendant  at  the  Presbyterian  Church,  Colo 
nel  Thompson  was  one  of  its  most  open-handed  supporters, 
his  contributions  toward  the  successful  efforts  to  secure  the 
splendid  pipe  organ  of  that  church  being  an  example  of  his 
never  failing  generosity. 

In  a  word,  as  a  soldier  the  sterling  and  impregnable  char 
acteristics  of  the  early  Covenanters  coming  to  him  as  an  in 
heritance,  he  remained  steadfast  to  his  patriotic  principles 
throughout  a  long  and  eventful  life ;  as  a  citizen,  his  deal 
ings  were  fair  and  equitable ;  his  business  transactions  open 
and  honorable;  his  word,  to  use  a  trite  phrase,  as  good  as 
his  bond. 

Although  Colonel  Thompson  never  married,  he  was  most 
genial  and  companionable,  pleasant  in  all  social  relations, 
and  peculiarly  fatherly  and  tender  toward  those  endeared  to 
him  by  ties  of  consanguinity. 

He  was  elected  captain  of  Company  H  of  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  November  I, 
1862;  elected  major,  February  13,  1865;  brevetted  lieuten 
ant-colonel  U.  S.  volunteers,  March  13,  1865,  "for  meritori 
ous  and  distinguished  services,"  and  mustered  out  June  20, 
1865. 

He  died  July  9,  1903,  at  Pottsville,  Pa.  His  remains  were 
deposited  in  the  Charles  Barber  Cemetery  at  Pottsville,  Pa., 
with  military  honors. 


102 


GORDONSVILLE  EXPEDITION. 

General  A.  T.  A.  Torbert's  Expedition  from  Win 
chester,  W.  Va.,  to  Near  Gordonsville,  W. 
Va.,  December  19-28,  1864. 

BY   MAJOR  W.   H.   SPERA,   SEVENTEENTH    PENNSYLVANIA 
CAVALRY. 

On  Wednesday,  the  I4th  of  December,  1864,  regimental 
headquarters  received  orders  from  brigade  headquarters 
to  have  all  horses  rough  shod,  each  trooper  to  carry  two 
spare  shoes  and  sufficient  nails  in  the  saddle  pouch  for  an 
emergency. 

This  had  the  appearance  of  a  raid  in  the  near  future,  un 
pleasant  at  this  season  of  the  year,  but  a  trooper  is  ever 
ready  for  a  raid  no  matter  what  the  weather. 

1 6th.  Friday,  A  salute  in  honor  of  General  Thomas' 
victory  gained  over  the  Confederates  under  General  Hood, 
was  fired  by  the  artillery  at  Kernstown. 

Blacksmiths  busy  shoeing  horses. 

1 7th.     Saturday.     Cleaning  arms  and  equipments. 

i8th.  The  usual  Sunday  morning  inspection  of  com 
panies  by  company  commanders, — arms,  quarters  and  equip 
ments. 

The  following  orders  were  received  from  division  head 
quarters  : 

MIDDLE  MILITARY  DIVISION. 
FIELD  ORDERS. 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIRST  CAVALRY  Divv  DECEMBER  18,  1864. 

No. 

The  command  will'  be  prepared  to  march  early  tomorrow  morn 
ing.  Four  (4)  days'  rations  will  be  issued  and  carried  on  the 
horses.  Each  man  will  be  supplied  with  eighty  (80)  rounds  of 
carbine  ammunition  and  the  usual  amount  of  pistol  ammunition. 

The  second  brigade  will  take  along   (rifled)    one  section  of  its 
battery,  the  best  horses  being  selected  for  the  march.    These  prepar 
ations  must  all  be  made  at  once. 
By  command  of  Brevet  Major-general  Merritt. 

M.  E.  DANA,  Ass't  Adj't  General 

103 


GORDONSVILLE  EXPEDITION 

Subsequently  that  part  of  the  order  relating  to  artillery 
was  withdrawn. 

iQth.  Monday.  The  First  and  Second  Divisions  of  Cav 
alry,  without  artillery  or  wagons,  consisting  of  about  5,000 
men,  commanded  by  Brevet  Major-general  Alfred  T.  A. 
Torbert,  First  Division  commanded  by  Brigadier  General 
Thomas  Devin,  Second  Brigade  commanded  by  Colonel  J. 
H.  Kellogg  (Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry),  Second 
Division  commanded  by  Brigadier  General  Powell,  left 
camp  near  Winchester  at  7  a.  m.,  marching  by  way 
of  Cedarville  and  Front  Royal,  crossing  both  branches 
of  the  Shenandoah,  and  after  marching  about  twenty-two 
miles  encamped  in  Chester  Gap.  It  rained  and  sleeted  all 
day,  making  roads  very  icy  and  rendering  marching  diffi 
cult. 

2oth.  Tuesday.  Cold  and  blustery  during  the  night, 
ground  frozen  solid ;  roads  almost  impassable  on  account  of 
ice.  A  surgeon  of  the  command  known  among  the  men  as 
"Big  Pills,"  had  purchased  a  pair  of  Sutler  cavalry  boots, 
wearing  them  for  the  first  time  yesterday.  They  were  manu 
factured  out  of  leather  not  impervious  to  water ;  yesterday's 
rain  took  all  the  starch  out  of  them  so  that  they  were  limp 
as  the  proverbial  dish  rag.  The  doctor  tried  to  dry  them 
by  the  fire,  and  the  shrinking  process  commenced.  This 
morning  they  had  shrunk  out  of  all  semblance  to  a  cavalry 
boot.  He  looked  with  utter  disgust  upon  his  purchase.  To 
put  a  foot  into  them  was  out  of  the  question.  When  the 
command  "Mount"  was  given  it  was  executed  in  socks  by 
"Big  Pills." 

We  crossed  the  Blue  Ridge  through  Chester  Gap,  passing 
through  Flint  Hill,  Games'  Cross  Roads,  Little  Washington 
and  Sperryville,  in  the  direction  of  Criglersville,  encamping 
near  the  Hazel  River,  five  miles  south  of  Sperryville,  on  the 
road  leading  to  Culpepper.  We  marched  twenty-nine  miles 
today.  The  Second  Division  encamped  on  the  Hughes 
"River. 

The  enemy  frequently  made  his  appearance  in  front  dur 
ing  the  day,  attacking  our  advance,  but  was  easily  repulsed, 
making  no  determined  resistance. 

104 


GORDONSVILLE  EXPEDITION 

Sleeting  during  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  with  weather 
growing  freezing  cold  during  the  evening ;  very  disagreeable 
marching,  the  country  through  which  we  passed  being  very 
hilly.  The  roads  being  covered  with  ice,  the  roughness  on 
the  horses'  shoes  was  worn  off. 

2 1  st.  Wednesday.  At  daylight  this  morning  the  com 
mand  was  in  the  saddle  resuming  the  march  in  a  hail  and 
snow  storm  which  continued  unabated  throughout  the  day. 
Marching  by  way  of  Criglersville,  and  crossing  Robertson 
River  near  Madison  Court  House,  we  met  Jackson's  Brigade 
of  Rebel  cavalry.  After  a  brisk  engagement  we  drove  him 
through  the  town.  We  stopped  near  the  town,  encamping 
for  the  night. 

Roads  are  muddy  and  rough.  Luckily  we  have  no  artillery 
or  wagons  with  us.  The  Second  Division  encamped  on  the 
Robertson  River,  near  Criglersville. 

This  seemingly  is  a  great  country  for  applejack.  A  ser 
geant  of  my  company  found  a  jug  rilled  with  some  kind  of 
a  fluid  at  a  house.  What  it  contained  he  did  not  know,  but 
said  it  smelled  as  though  it  might  be  excellent  stuff.  An  un 
bleached  American  standing  nearby,  we  asked  him  to  take 
a  smell.  He  pronounced  it  "Peach  brandy,  shoo !"  We  were 
in  a  generous  mood  and  asked  him  to  take  a  drink,  that  in 
case  it  did  not  kill  him  we  would  sample  it.  He  smacked 
his  lips,  saying.  "Golly,  that's  good,  likes  to  drink  the  whole 
of  that."  After  a  short  time  we  gave  him  another  drink 
to  make  assurance  doubly  sure.  He  lived  through  it,  though 
it  was  the  last  drink  he  got  out  of  that  jug. 

22d.  Thursday  March  resumed  at  daylight,  the  Second 
Division  in  advance,  marching  on  the  pike  and  passing  Jack's 
Shop  in  the  direction  of  Liberty  Mills  and  Gordonsville. 
General  Lomax's  force,  consisting  of  Imboden's,  McClell- 
and's  and  Jackson's  Brigades  of  Rebel  cavalry,  were  met. 
After  a  charge  by  a  brigade  of  the  Second  Division,  they 
retreated  across  the  Rapidan  at  Liberty  Mills.  Our  advance 
reached  the  bridge  under  a  severe  fire  from  the  enemy  post 
ed  behind  breastworks  on  the  opposite  bank.  It  was  dis 
covered  that  some  of  the  flooring  of  the  bridge  had  been  re 
moved.  Immediately  after  our  troops  had  reached  the  river 

105 


GORDONSVILLE  EXPEDITION 

the  bridge  was  fired  and  destroyed,  so  that  we  were  unable 
to  cross.  There  was  a  ford  near  the  bridge.  This  was 
heavily  barricaded,  a  strong  force  defending  it  from 
rifle  pits  with  artillery  in  position,  protected  by  earthworks. 
To  cross  at  this  place  was  impossible.  Scouts  were  sent  out 
for  the  purpose  of  finding  persons  who  were  acquainted 
with  the  fords  above  and  below  Liberty  Mills.  Two  columns 
were  sent  out,  one  to  the  right  up  the  river  and  the  other 
to  the  left  down  the  river.  The  First  and  Second  Brigades, 
First  Division,  were  sent  to  the  right,  the  Second  Brigade 
leading,  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  having  the 
advance.  They  were  to  cross  at  Willis  Ford,  two  miles 
above  Liberty  Mills,  and  come  down  the  Stanardsville  and 
Orange  Court  House  Pike.  The  brigade  of  the  Second 
Division  was  to  cross  at  Cave's  Ford,  three  miles  below 
Liberty  Mills,  and  come  up  the  Stanardsville  Pike.  We 
were  informed  that  both  of  these  fords  were  good,  passable 
fording  places,  and  the  distance  we  would  have  to  march 
about  four  miles.  The  column  that  went  to  Willis  Ford 
could  cross  by  twos  only,  the  ford  being  four  miles  up  the 
river  instead  of  two  miles,  so  that  we  were  compelled  to 
march  eight  miles  before  getting  to  Liberty  Mills.  The 
column  that  went  to  Cave's  Ford  was  worse  oft  than  we 
were.  They  could  cross  by  file  only  and  had  to  march 
seven  miles.  It  was  nearly  dark  when  our  column  came  in 
sight  of  the  enemy  at  the  Mills.  The  Seventeenth  and 
Twentieth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  immediately  charged,  sup 
ported  by  the  brigade,  driving  the  enemy  in  the  direction  of 
Orange  Court  House,  where  they  met  the  column  from  the 
left.  The  enemy  withdrew  by  a  country  road  in  the  direc 
tion  of  Gordonsville.  After  dark,  the  firing  was  then  order 
ed  to  cease,  as  it  was  impossible  to  distinguish  friend  from 
foe.  The  Second  Brigade,  First  Division,  picketed  the 
heights  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  the  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  in  support  of  the  pickets,  without 
unsaddling. 

December  23,  1864.  Friday.  Very  cold  night,  high  winds, 
ground  frozen  solid.  Our  position  during  the  night  was  on 
a  bleak  hill.  The  wind  having  a  full  sweep,  the  command 
suffered  greatly  from  the  cold.  We  could  not  build  fires  on 

106 


GORDONSVILLE  EXPEDITION 

account  of  the  close  proximity  of  the  enemy.  With  the  first 
appearance  of  dawn  the  enemy  was  again  engaged;  we 
took  two  pieces  of  artillery  and  drove  them  to  within  two 
and  one-half  miles  of  Gordonsville,  where  the  road  runs 
through  a  gap  in  Bell's  Mountain. 

I  was  ordered  to  take  a  battalion  of  the  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  and  picket  our  right  flank,  as  an  attack  from 
that  direction  was  anticipated. 

The  gap  through  the  mountain  was  very  narrow,  the 
enemy  holding  a  strong  and  advantageous  position,  posted 
behind  rails  and  earth  breastworks,  where  a  small  force 
could  hold  a  large  number  in  check.  The  enemy  was  attack 
ed  by  the  First  New  York  Dragoons  and  Ninth  New  York, 
dismounted,  charging  the  enemy's  flank.  The  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  charged  mounted  on  the  enemy's  centre,  los 
ing  two  men  killed,  seventeen  wounded  and  four  prisoners 
(Company  C  lost  Jacob  Coldren  killed,  buried  in  the  Nat 
ional  cemetery,  Culpepper  Court  Hourse,  Va.,  block  I,  sec 
tion  A,  row  n,  grave  379;  and  Henry  Irwin,  wounded). 

The  regiment  fell  back  to  its  former  position,  holding  it 
for  several  hours.  A  force  was  sent  to  the  left  to  cross 
the  mountain  to  flank  the  enemy  out  of  his  position.  About 
10  o'clock  a.  m.  cars  were  heard  arriving  at  Gordonsville  and 
infantry  could  be  seen  filing  into  the  enemy's  breastworks, 
relieving  cavalry. 

Shortly  after  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  had  charged 
Lieutenant  E.  E.  Wood,  of  Company  C,  Seventeenth  Penn 
sylvania,  now  serving  on  the  brigade  staff,  (at  present, 
April,  1898,  Professor  of  Literature  at  the  United  States 
Military  Academy,  West  Point,  N.  Y.,)  was  sent  to  the 
front  with  an  order  to  Lieutenant-colonel  of  the  Seven 
teenth,  to  withdraw  his  regiment.  After  delivering  the  order, 
and  within  a  short  distance  of  the  enemy's  line,  the  lieu 
tenant's  bridle  rein  was  shot  off.  He  dismounted  as  if 
on  parade  and,  knotting  the  rein  to  the  curb  ring,  mounted 
and  rode  away  unhurt  amid  a  shower  of  bullets. 

Some  of  the  men  whose  horses  had  been  shot  in  the 
charge  took  refuge  in  an  excavation  near  the  enemy's  line ; 
several  escaped  by  making  a  run  for  our  lines,  amid  a  rain 

107 


GORDONSVILLE  EXPEDITION 

of  bullets.  I  am  sorry  I  do  not  now  remember  the  names 
of  those  brave  boys.  Four  were  captured  by  the  enemy. 

General  Torbert,  after  becoming  satisfied  that  the  enemy 
had  been  re-enforced  by  Pelgram's  division  of  infantry,  and 
Hunton's  and  Bratton's  Brigades,  and  that  Longstreet  had 
sent  3,300  men  to  Gordonsville,  and  realizing  that  it  would 
be  useless  to  further  attempt  to  break  the  Virginia  Central 
Railroad,  decided  to  withdraw  to  the  north  bank  of  the 
Rapidan,  marching  to  Madison  Court  House  and  Robertson 
River. 

After  the  command  fell  back  from  its  position,  I  was  or 
dered  to  deploy  a  battalion  as  skirmishers  and  watch  the 
movements  of  the  enemy.  They  came  out  of  their  rifle 
pits,  advancing  a  short  distance  as  skirmishers,  wounding 
B.  F.  Busser  and  Albert  Breitigam,  of  Company  C,  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania.  After  our  column  had  passed  a 
narrow  defile  in  the  road  I  was  ordered  to  march  in  re 
treat.  At  the  defile  we  formed  column,  marching  as  rear 
guard.  Noticing  several  stragglers  at  a  house  a  short  dis 
tance  from  the  road  I  ordered  Lieutenant  Alfred  Lee,  of 
Company  F,  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania,  to  ride  over  and 
take  with  him  two  men.  When  near  the  house  several  men 
in  our  uniform  rode  out,  ordering  the  lieutenant  and  his 
men  to  surrender.  Hearing  the  firing  I  sent  a  squad  in 
pursuit.  The  enemy,  seeing  they  could  not  get  away  with 
their  prisoners,  shot  Lieutenant  Lee,  mortally  wounding 
him. 

My  command  rejoined  the  regiment  at  Liberty  Mills.  The 
brigade  marched  to  Russell's  Ford,  on  the  Robertson  River, 
going  into  camp  at  midnight.  The  roads  were  a  sheet  of 
ice.  In  descending  the  hill  leading  to  the  ford  it  was  al 
most  impossible  for  horse  or  man  to  keep  on  his  feet.  A 
horse's  feet  would  slip  from  under  him,  sliding  down  the 
hill,  carrying  with  him  the  horse  and  rider  next  in  front  of 
him,  until  there  was  a  jumpled  up  mass  of  horses  and  troop 
ers  endeavoring  to  extricate  themselves  and  their  mounts, 
and  in  the  endeavor  generally  making  matters  worse  by 
carrying  more  horse  flesh  and  swearing  humanity  with 
them.  We  were  forced  to  halt  on  the  hillside  as  the  cap- 

108 


GORDONSVILLE  EXPEDITION 

tured  artillery  was  in  advance  of  us,  stuck  in  the  ford.  The 
pieces  were  drawn  by  mules.  When  midway  in  the  stream 
the  mules  became  balky,  positively  refusing  to  stretch  a 
trace.  It  was  near  midnight.  We  could  .hear  the  troops 
that  had  crossed  in  advance  of  the  artillery  going  into 
camp,  and  we  were  delayed  by  those  pesky,  balky  mules. 
Language  prepared  expressly  for  the  occasion  was  used,  but 
had  no  more  effect  than  if  just  everyday  ordinary  language 
would  have  been  used.  About  half  of  the  First  New  York 
Dragoons  were  in  the  river  abusing  the  mules.  Meanwhile 
the  troops  were  sliding  around  on  the  icy  hillside,  using 
language  far  more  forcible  than  elegant.  I  do  really  be 
lieve  that  it  was  the  united  wish  of  all  those  sliding  troopers 
that  the  Rebs  would  have  kept  their  guns  so  that  we  would 
not  have  bothered  with  them.  After  crossing  the  river,  we 
went  into  camp  in  a  dense  growth  of  lovely  pine,  spreading 
our  blankets  in  the  snow  and  ice,  and  slept  the  sleep  of 
tired  soldiers.  Everything  burnable  was  covered  with  sev 
eral  inches  of  ice,  consequently  no  coffee. 

24th.  Saturday.  Left  camp  at  daylight  and  marched  by 
way  of  James  City,  Grifnnsburg  and  Stone  House  Moun 
tain,  encamping  about  four  miles  from  Culpepper.  The 
regiment,  (Seventeenth  Pennsylvania,)  foraged  by  squads 
today  for  horse  feed.  It  is  a  case  of  "live  off  the  country 
with  headquarters  in  the  saddle,"  but  this  country  has  been 
so  devastated  that  there  is  but  little  left  to  live  off  of.  We 
have  been  about  four  days  without  rations  or  horse  feed, 
and  the  citizens  do  not  seem  to  have  much  more  than  we 
have,  excepting  applejack,  and  it  is  not  very  nourishing.  It 
will  take  at  least  four  days  before  we  reach  camp.  How 
we  will  enjoy  hard  tack  and  pork  by  that  time !  Weather 
has  been  unpleasant  today. 

25th.  Sunday.  Christmas !  Left  camp  at  daylight 
marching  to  Fauquier  and  White  Sulphur  Springs,  crossing 
the  Hazel  and  Rappahannock.  The  Hazel  was  running 
very  high.  We  had  considerable  difficulty  in  crossing  as  the 
horses  are  weak  from  lack  of  forage.  We  went  into  camp 
for  the  night  near  Warrenton.  Cold.  The  command  has 
a  large  number  of  dismounted  men  whose  horses  became 

109 

8— 17th    R. 


GORDONSVILLE  EXPEDITION 

unserviceable,  and  had  to  be  abandoned.  It  was  hard  work 
for  the  poor  fellows  to  keep  up  with  the  mounted  column, 
quite  a  few,  whose  shoes  were  worn  out,  going  in  stocking 
feet  over  the  icy  frozen  ground,  wading  rivers  and  often 
wet  to  the  skin,  some  whose  feet  were  bloody,  being  cut  by 
the  frozen  ground,  having  thus  followed  the  command  for 
several  days.  Today  we  passed  through  Jefferson,  Fau- 
quier  and  Sulphur  Springs.  Foraging  parties  were  sent 
from  the  division,  one  of  which  captured  150,000  Sharp's 
carbine  cartridges,  1,000,000  carbine  caps,  200  muskets, 
ninety  blankets  and  four  prisoners. 

26th.  Monday.  As  we  were  about  leaving  camp  this  morn 
ing  several  guerrillas  were  found  lurking  near,  endeavoring 
to  capture  some  of  our  men,  or  hoping  to  pick  up  dismount 
ed  men.  A  mounted  force  was  sent  after  them,  driving  them 
away,  although  they  harassed  the  rear  of  the  column.  Pre 
sumably  they  are  some  of  Mosby's  men,  a  partisan  ranger, 
operating  in  this  section,  stealing,  plundering  and  murder 
ing. 

On  passing  through  Warrenton  the  Regimental  band  of 
the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  began  to  play.  Shutters  and 
blinds  were  opened,  women  appearing  at  the  windows.  Sud 
denly  the  band  changed  to  "Yankee  Doodle."  Down  came 
the  windows  and  shutters  closed  with  a  slam.  A  boy  of 
about  six  years  of  age  stood  on  a  porch,  with  his  hands  rest 
ing  on  his  hip,  looking  in  a  saucy  "I  don't  give  a  darn  for  you 
fellows,  knock  the  chip  off  my  shoulder,  if  you  dare"  sort  of 
way,  whistling  the  "Bonnie  Blue  Flag  with  but  a  Single 
Star." 

Marching  through  New  Baltimore,  Georgetown,  White 
Plains  and  Middleburg,  we  encamped  near  the  latter  place. 
The  Second  Division  encamped  near  Paris,  passing  through 
Edom  and  Piedmont. 

27th.  Tuesday.  Marched  by  way  of  Rector  Cross  Roads, 
Carrville,  Upperville,  Paris  and  Ashby's  Gap.  In  the  Gap 
the  sergeant-major  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  found 
a  torpedo  planted  in  the  road.  We  forded  the  Shenandoah 
River,  crossing  the  dismounted  men,  stock,  etc.,  and  going 

no 


GORDONSVILLE  EXPEDITION 

into  camp  at  Millwood.  In  Ashby's  Gap  the  rearguard 
was  attacked  by  guerrillas.  No  damage  was  done. 

28th.  Wednesday.  Marched  to  camp  near  Winchester, 
crossing  the  Opequan  River,  which  was  running  very  high. 
We  had  great  difficulty  in  crossing  the  stock  and  dismounted 
men.  Received  mail,  letters  from  home,  and  the  ever  gen 
tle  reminder  from  the  Ordnance  office  for  the  quarterly  re 
port  of  ordnance  and  ordnance  stores. 

The  country  through  which  we  passed  is  as  poor  as  the 
proverbial  turkey  of  Job,  in  the  matter  of  food  and  forage. 
The  command  was  obliged  to  live  off  the  country  for  six 
days,  and  mighty  scant  living  it  was.  Taking  the  raid,  all 
in  all,  it  was  an  extremely  hard  trip  on  man  and  beast.  The 
intense  cold,  bad  weather  and  equally  bad  roads,  six  days 
out  of  ten  it  either  rained,  hailed  or  snowed  and  quite  often 
?A\  three  at  the  same  time,  as  though  vying  which  could 
make  it  the  most  disagreeable ;  either  one  was  a  perfect  suc 
cess. 

Our  losses  aggregated  one  hundred  and  two  men  and  two 
hundred  and  fifty-eight  horses. 

The  command  captured  thirty  prisoners,  two  pieces  of 
artillery,  one  thousand  head  of  stock,  also  a  herd  of  two 
hundred  head  of  cattle  going  South,  150,000  Sharp's  car 
bine  cartridges,  1,000,000  caps,  200  muskets  and  ninety 
blankets. 


in 


THEODORE  W.  BEAN. 

BREVET  LIEUTENANT-COLONEL. 

Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Theodore  W.  Bean  was  born  in 
Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania,  May  14,  1833.  At  the 
early  age  of  sixteen  years  he  was  apprenticed  to  a  black 
smith,  and  for  years  followed  that  honorable  occupation. 
But  his  desire  to  advance  himself  in  life  led  him  to  adopt 
the  law  as  his  profession.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of 
Montgomery  county,  February  24,  1869,  an<^  continued  in 
active  practice  until  the  close  of  his  life.  He  was  mustered 
into  the  United  States  service  as  a  private  of  Company  L  of 
the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cav 
alry,  September  17,  1862,  to  serve  for  three  years  or  during 
the  war. 

,  He  was  appointed  first  sergeant  on  the  organization  of 
the  company,  and  promoted  to  second  lieutenant,  and  later  to 
first  lieutenant,  before  the  regiment  left  the  state.  On  May 
30,  1863,  he  was  elected  captain  of  his  company.  The  regi 
ment  entered  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  in  the  early  winter 
of  1862,  and  participated  in  all  its  subsequent  campaigns, 
including  Chancellorsville,  Beverly  Ford,  Aldie,  Gettysburg, 
Winchester,  Five  Forks,  Sailor's  Creek  and  Appomattox. 
During  the  first  day's  battle  at  Gettysburg  the  services  of 
Captain  Bean  attracted  the  attention  of  his  division  com 
mander,  General  John  Buford,  and,  after  the  battle,  he  was 
called  to  division  headquarters  and  placed  on  staff  duty  as 
provost  marshal.  He  continued  to  serve  as  a  member  of 
General  Buford's  staff  until  the  death  of  that  officer,  and 
subsequently  on  those  of  Generals  Merritt  and  Torbert,  re 
maining  with  the  latter  until  the  surrender  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia  at  Appomattox,  April  9,  1865. 

During  his  whole  period  of  service  Colonel  Bean  dis 
played  that  same  indomitable  energy,  courage  and  devotion 
to  duty  so  characteristic  of  his  whole  life,  whether  as  sol 
dier  or  civilian.  Gifted  with  intelligence  and  foresight, 
never  hesitating  when  he  saw  his  duty  clearly  defined,  ever 

112 


Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel.  Xorristown, 


THEODORE  W.  BEAN 

obedient  and  ready  to  obey  orders,  he  at  all  times  attracted 
the  attention  of  his  superiors  as  an  invaluable  assistant  when 
nerve,  energy,  promptness  and  courage  were  required. 
Amongst  his  fellow  officers  he  was  always  a  favorite  because 
of  his  suavity  and  kindness  of  manner.  Without  one  par 
ticle  of  envy  or  jealousy  in  his  nature,  he  was  ever  willing 
to  add  to  the  happiness  of  others  regardless  of  self. 

He  was  brevetted  major  of  U.  S.  volunteers,  March  13, 
1865,  for  distinguished  service,  and  again  brevetted  lieuten 
ant-colonel  of  U.  S.  volunteers,  March  13,  1865,  for  merit 
orious  services  in  the  late  campaign.  He  was  honorably 
discharged  from  the  United  States  service  by  General  Order, 
June  20,  1865. 

After  the  close  of  the  war  he  resumed  business  and  study, 
and  four  years  later  entered  upon  his  chosen  profession  of 
law.  Colonel  Bean  was  able  in  his  profession.  He  was  a 
public-spirited  citizen  and  stood  for  progress  in  the  civic  and 
political  life  of  his  community.  In  1887  he  was  appointed 
by  Governor  Beaver  a  member  of  the  State  Commission  on 
Industrial  Education.  In  1889  he  was  elected  to  the  State 
Legislature,  and  made  chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Edu 
cation.  He  took  an  active  part  in  the  debates  and  was  a 
leading  member  of  that  body.  He  was  the  author  of  "Roll  of 
Honor  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,"  "Foot 
prints  of  the  Revolution,  or  Washington  at  Valley  Forge"; 
"Annals  of  the  War,"  "Buford  at  Gettysburg,"  "Ouster's 
Charge  at  Yellow  Tavern,"  "The  Fall  of  General  Zook," 
"General  Pleasonton  at  Chancellorsville,"  "  Sheridan  in  the 
Shenandoah." 

Colonel  Bean  was  deeply  interested  in  the  study  of  history 
and  published,  in  1884,  a  comprehensive  history  of  Mont 
gomery  county,  Pa.  It  was  mainly  through  Colonel  Bean's 
efforts  that  Valley  Forge  was  preserved  to  the  nation  as 
sacred  ground.  He  delivered  the  historical  address  at  Val 
ley  Forge,  June  19,  1878,  upon  the  centennial  anniversary 
of  the  departure  of  Washington's  army  from  Valley  Forge. 
He  was  instrumental  in  organizing  the  Historical  Society  of 
Montgomery  county,  Pa.,  in  1881.  He  was  its  first  president 
and  held  the  office  until  1889,  when  he  declined  re-election. 


THEODORE  W.  BEAN 

He  delivered  orations  at  Gettysburg  upon  the  dedication 
of  the  monument  to  General  Zook,  and  the  memorial  of  the 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry ;  also  Memorial  Day  ora 
tions  at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  Seven  Pines,  Va.,  and  Bryn  Mawr, 
Pa.  His  services  as  orator  were  repeatedly  sought  by  his 
comrades  in  arms.  He  died  at  Norristown,  Pa.,  January  20, 
1891.  His  remains  were  deposited  in  the  family  plot  in 
Montgomery  cemetery,  Norristown,  Pa. 


114 


GENERAL  P.  H.  SHERIDAN'S  FAMOUS  RIDE. 

General  Sheridan  had  been  called  to  Washington,  and 
was  expected  to  arrive  at  Martinsburg,  W.  Va.,  on  his  re 
turn  trip,  some  time  during  the  day  of  October  17,  1864. 
Major  W.  H.  Spera,  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Penn 
sylvania  Cavalry,  with  200  men,  was  detailed  to  proceed  to 
Martinsburg  and  escort  General  Sheridan  from  Martins- 
burg  to  the  front.  Major  Spera  gives  the  following  ac 
count  of  what  occurred  on  that  occasion : 

"I  arrived  at  Martinsburg  after  midnight,  reporting  to 
General  Seward  and  went  into  camp  near  the  town.  Early 
in  the  morning  of  the  i8th,  I  reported  to  General  Sheridan 
for  escort  duty.  The  party  consisted  of  General  Sheridan, 
Colonels  Thorn  and  Alexander,  of  the  Engineer  Corps; 
Lieutenant-colonel  James  W.  Forsythe,  chief  of  staff; 
Major  George  A.  Forsythe  and  Captain  Jos.  O.  Keefe,  aids. 
The  general  was  riding  his  black  horse  "Rienzi."  My  com 
mand  was  reinforced  by  500  men  from  various  commands 
commanded  by  a  lieutenant.  The  column  left  Martinsburg 
about  9  a.  m.  Strong  advance  and  rear  guards  and  flankers 
were  thrown  out  at  Bunker  Hill,  about  1 1  miles  from  Mar 
tinsburg.  A  sharp  lookout  was  kept  for  roving  bands  of 
Mosby's  guerrillas,  who  claimed  this  section  of  the  country 
as  their  field  of  operations.  We  arrived  at  Winchester  about 
3  o'clock  p.  m.  The  general  and  his  staff  remained  for  the 
night  at  Colonel  E.  O.  Edwards'  headquarters.  The  escort 
was  ordered  into  bivouac  at  Mill  Creek  or  Milltown,  about 
a  mile  south  of  Winchester,  with  orders  to  be  in  readiness 
to  march  at  5  a.  m.  the  next  morning.  At  4:30  o'clock  on 
the  morning  of  the  I9th,  "Boots  and  Saddles"  was  sounded 
for  the  escort.  Shortly  afterward  firing  was  heard  in  the 
direction  of  the  front,  which  was  attributed  to  a  reconnois- 
sance  that  had  been  ordered  for  that  morning.  About  9 
a.  m.  General  Sheridan  came  riding  leisurely  along.  He 
inquired  about  the  firing.  He  was  told  that  the  firing  was 
heard  as  early  as  4  o'clock. 


GENERAL  SHERIDAN'S  FAMOUS  RIDE 

"The  escort  moved  out  with  a  strong  advance  and  rear 
guard  and  flankers.  Some  distance  south  of  Milltown  the 
head  of  a  train  was  encountered  whipping  to  the  rear ;  also 
a  number  of  men  from  the  front,  giving  a  different  interpre 
tation  to  the  firing  of  the  morning.  All  trains  coming  from 
and  going  to  the  front  were  ordered  into  park  at  Mill- 
town.  My  command  was  ordered  to  form  to  the  right  of 
the  road.  Here  Colonel  Wood,  General  Sheridan's  chief 
commissary,  met  Sheridan,  giving  the  startling  intelligence 
that  the  enemy  had  attacked  early  in  the  morning,  driving 
cur  troops  at  every  point,  our  left  being  first  attacked  and 
driven  in  confusion,  everything  captured,  the  general's  head 
quarters  gone,  and  troops  dispersing  in  all  directions.  It 
was  plainly  to  be  seen  that  the  lion  in  the  general  was  fully 
aroused.  His  every  action  gave  evidence  of  a  quick  deter 
mination.  I  was  ordered  to  take  20  of  my  best  men  and 
horses  and  follow  the  general,  as  he  intended  to  move  to 
the  front  lively.  I  ordered  out  three  sets  of  fours  from 
the  right. 

"Major  Geo.  A.  Forsythe  and  Captain  Jos.  O.  Keefe  ac 
companied  the  general.  The  remainder  of  the  escort  was 
ordered  to  Colonel  James  W.  Forsythe,  who,  with  Colonels 
Thorn  and  Alexander,  were  left  behind  to  form  a  cordon 
across  the  country  to  stop  the  fugitives.  The  general  struck 
out  at  a  brisk  pace  towards  the  scene  of  action.  At  times 
the  pike  was  so  much  crowded  with  troops  and  wagons  that 
the  general  and  escort  were  obliged  to  take  to  the  fields  over 
stone  walls  and  ditches.  After  the  greater  part  of  the  wa 
gons  had  been  passed,  he  again  took  the  road  along  which 
crowds  of  men  were  moving.  They  did  not  appear  panic- 
stricken,  seeming  scarcely  to  know  why  they  were  going  to 
the  rear.  Groups  were  halted  preparing  rations  or  getting 
coffee.  The  general  occasionally  stopped,  telling  them,  'Face 
the  other  way,  boys.  If  I  had  been  there  this  morning,  this 
would  not  have  happened,  but  you  shall  all  be  in  your  old 
camps  before  night.' 

"Men  in  groups  halted  and  cheered  the  general  as  he  pass 
ed,  and,  seeing  the  great  haste  with  which  he  was  going, 
immediately  retraced  their  steps.  We  passed  a  group  who 

116 


GENERAL  SHERIDAN'S  FAMOUS  RIDE 

were  busy  getting  coffee.  When  they  saw  the  general,  they 
gave  'three  cheers  for  Sheridan/  applied  a  vigorous  kick  to 
their  coffee  cups,  shouldered  their  guns  and  faced  the  other 
way.  The  first  halt  was  made  near  Newtown,  where  a  chap- 
Iain  mounted  on  a  mule  was  met.  The  general  hailed  him, 
asking  how  things  looked  at  the  front.  The  chaplain  ex 
pressed  himself  that,  —  'Oh  !  everything  is  lost  and  gone,  but 
it  will  be  all  right  when  you  get  there.'  At  the  same  time 
he  pressed  the  rowels  of  his  spurs  into  the  flanks  of  his  mule, 
endeavoring  to  get  to  the  rear  as  rapidly  as  possible,  not 
withstanding  his  confidence  in  Sheridan.  Newtown  was  so 
crowded  with  fugitives  that  the  general  was  unable  to  keep 
the  road,  but  passed  to  the  left  of  the  village.  As  the  gen 
eral  passed,  officers  who  were  near  the  road  waved  their  hats, 
informing  their  men  that  Sheridan  was  going  to  the  front. 
A  short  distance  beyond  Newtown,  Major  McKinley  (after 
wards  President  of  the  United  States)  carried  the  news  of 
Sheridan's  arrival.  The  race  was  headlong,  the  horses  be 
ing  put  to  their  full  speed,  and  never  did  general  and  escort 
go  over  18  miles  in  less  time." 


"Skirmishing  was  going  on  with  the  enemy^s  pickets.  The 
general  jumped  his  horse  over  the  barricade,  taking  off  his 
cap  and  waving  it.  Cheer  after  cheer  went  up  from  the  men 
who  exclaimed  'Sheridan  has  come.  Sheridan  has  come!' 
Sheridan  replied,  'Boys,  we'll  get  the  tightest  twist  on  them 
they  ever  saw.  We'll  get  all  those  camps  back.'  The  men 
were  wild  with  enthusiasm  as  he  rode  along  the  lines.  Never 
before  did  so  much  seemingly  depend  on  one  man. 

"All  were  confident  of  success  as  soon  as  they  heard  of 
Sheridan's  arrival,  and  indeed  with  him  alone  rested  the  safe 
ty  of  thousands  of  lives  and  the  preservation  of  his  army." 


"Sheridan  established  his  headquarters  on  a  rise  of  ground 
a  short  distance  north  of  General  Getty's  line.  Here  sev 
eral  of  his  staff  joined  him.  One  of  them  remarked  to  the 
general :  T  fear  the  battle  is  going  against  us.  I  suppose 

117 


GENERAL  SHERIDAN'S  FAMOUS  RIDE 

Jubal  Early  intends  driving  you  out  of  the  valley.'  'What?' 
Sheridan  exclaimed,  'three  corps  of  infantry  and  all  of  my 
cavalry;  Jubal  Early  drive  me  out  of  the  valley?  I'll  lick 
him  like  blazes  before  night;  I'll  give  him  the  worst  licking 
he  ever  had.'  " 


"About  4  p.  m.,  the  order  went  out,  'The  whole  line  will 
advance.'  The  attack  was  gallantly  made.  The  enemy 
sought  protection  behind  the  stone  fences  and  rail  breast 
works,  making  a  very  determined  resistance,  but  General 
Sheridan  had  formed  a  compact  mass  of  men  across  the 
pike.  Custer  was  on  the  extreme  right  to  harass  and  worry 
the  enemy  until  Sheridan  should  create  a  panic  with  the  re 
mainder  of  the  line.  This  plan,  so  simple  in  its  conception, 
worked  like  a  charm,  and  was  successful  beyond  all  expecta 
tion." 

************ 

"A  hearty  cheer  from  the  line  and  the  Johnnies  were  on 
the  run,  though  not  all  of  them — the  ground  was  covered 
with  dead  and  dying.  The  enemy  now  became  a  miserable 
rabble,  throwing  away  their  arms  and  everything  to  get  away 
from  their  pursuers.  Daylight  showed  that  the  enemy's 
transportation  and  artillery  was  in  our  hands.  They  left 
everything  behind  in  their  flight,  their  dead  unburied  and 
their  wounded  uncared  for.  This  battle  ended  campaigning 
in  the  Shenandoah  Valley." 

************ 

From  May  5,  1864,  to  April  9,  1865,  the  day  on  which 
the  army  of  Northern  Virginia  surrendered,  Sheridan's  com 
mand  captured  two  hundred  and  five  battle-flags,  all  in  open 
field  fighting,  nearly  as  many  as  all  of  the  armies  of  the 
United  States  combined  sent  to  the  War  Department  during 
the  Rebellion.  The  number  of  field  pieces  captured  in  the 
same  period  was  one  hundred  and  seventy,  all  in  open  field 
fighting.  In  the  Valley  13,000  prisoners  were  captured. 

When  the  good  news  of  Sheridan's  victory  was  received 
at  Washington,  the  President  at  once  sent  him  the  following 
message : 

118 


GENERAL  SHERIDAN'S  FAMOUS  RIDE 

"EXECUTIVE  MANSION,  WASHINGTON,  D.  C,  OCTOBER  22,  1864. 
"Major-general  Sheridan : 

"With  pleasure  I  tender  you  and  your  brave  army  the  thanks  of 
the  nation  and  my  own  personal  admiration  and  gratitude  for  the 
month's  operations  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and  especially  for 
the  splendid  work  of  October  19,  1864. 

"Your  obedient   servant, 

"ABRAHAM  LINCOLN." 

As  a  result  of  this  wonderful  ride  and  the  turning  of  the 
tide  of  battle,  Sheridan  was  at  once  made  a  major-general 
in  the  regular  army.  Accompanying  the  communication  was 
the  following  letter  from  President  Lincoln :  "For  the  per 
sonal  gallantry,  military  skill  and  just  confidence  in  the  cour 
age  and  gallantry  of  your  troops,  displayed  by  you,  on  Octo 
ber  I9th,  at  Cedar  Creek  Run,  whereby,  under  the  blessing 
of  Providence,  your  routed  army  was  reorganized,  a  great 
national  disaster  averted,  and  a  brilliant  victory  achieved." 


BRIGADIER-GENERAL  EDWARD  E.  WOOD. 

PROFESSOR   U.  S.  MILITARY  ACADEMY,  WEST  POINT^  N.  Y., 
FORMERLY  FIRST  LIEUTENANT  COMPANY  C. 

Colonel  Wood  was  born  in  the  southern  part  of  Lan 
caster  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  1846.  He  was  educated  at 
the  Pennsylvania  State  Normal  School  at  Millersville, 
Pennsylvania.  Before  completing  the  course  at  this  school, 
he  enlisted  September  8,  1862,  as  a  private  in  the  company 
of  cavalry  raised  by  Captain  W.  H.  Spera  in  the  north 
eastern  part  of  Lancaster  county.  This  company  subse 
quently  became  Company  C,  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsyl 
vania  Cavalry.  Colonel  Wood  was  but  fifteen  years  of  age 
at  his  enlistment,  and  was,  therefore,  among  the  youngest 
men  in  the  Union  Army  who,  from  a  private  soldier,  be 
came  a  commissioned  officer. 

Shortly  after  the  organization  of  the  regiment  at  Harris- 
burg,  Private  Wood  was  appointed  company  commissary 
sergeant.  In  December,  1862,  the  regiment  left  its  camp 
near  Alexandria,  Va.,  and  started  to  join  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  On  arriving  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  three  companies 
of  the  regiment,  of  which  Company  C,  was  one,  were  left 
at  that  place  for  the  purpose  of  picketing  along  Occoquan 
River  or  creek  and  the  vicinity,  while  the  remainder  of  the 
regiment  proceeded  on  its  way  to  the  army.  The  three  com 
panies  were  under  the  command  of  Major  R.  R.  Reinhold. 
On  December  27th,  orders  were  received  for  the  three  com 
panies  to  join  the  regiment.  Sergeant  Wood  was  detailed 
with  one  or  two  other  non-commissioned  officers  and  a  cer 
tain  number  of  other  enlisted  men  to  accompany  the  wagon 
train,  which  train  was  under  charge  of  the  regimental 
wagon  master. 

After  the  command  had  gone  some  distance  it  was  dis 
covered  that  a  large  force  of  Confederate  cavalry  was  ap 
proaching.  Major  R.  R.  Reinhold  decided  to  bring  back 
the  command  to  Occoquan,  cross  the  river  there,  and  have 

1 20 


EDWARD  E.  WOOD. 

Lieutenant,  Company  C,  West  Point,  X.  V. 
Now  Brigadier  General,  U.  S.  A. 


EDWARD  E.  WOOD 

his  force  on  the  northern  side  of  the  stream  where  the 
Second  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  was  then  encamped.  At  Oc- 
coquan  it  was  possible  for  the  main  body  of  the  command 
tc  cross  the  river  at  a  ford  about  a  mile  to  the  west  of  the 
town;  the  wagons  could  cross  only  by  the  rope  ferry  at  the 
town  itself.  The  command  accordingly  crossed  at  the  ford. 
The  wagon  train  had  just  succeeded  in  crossing  one  wagon 
to  the  north  side,  when  a  squadron  of  the  First  Maryland 
Cavalry  dashed  past  on  its  way  to  the  ford,  with  the  infor 
mation  that  the  Confederate  cavalry  was  but  a  short  dis 
tance  behind  them. 

At  this  time  it  was  dark.  The  wagon  master,  who  was 
on  the  north  side,  on  hearing  this,  shouted  across  the  stream 
to  drop  everything  and  get  away.  Sergeant  Wood  and  a 
sergeant  of  Company  I,  however,  ordered  the  teamsters 
and  men  to  remain  and  continue  getting  the  wagons  ferried 
over.  This  was  done  and  it  was  not  until  about  seven 
wagons  had  crossed  that  the  advance  guard  of  the  Con 
federate  cavalry,  Second  South  Carolina  Regiment  under 
Colonel  Butler,  afterwards  Senator  Butler,  dashed  down  to 
the  ferry  and  captured  those  that  were  on  the  south  side 
of  the  river.  By  this  action  on  the  part  of  these  two  non 
commissioned  officers,  seven  wagons  which  would  otherwise 
have  been  captured,  were  saved.  Only  a  few  men,  includ 
ing  Sergeant  Wood  and  the  sergeant  of  Company  I,  were 
captured,  as  the  majority  of  the  men  with  the  wagons  had 
to  accompany  each  wagon  as  it  was  ferried  over,  and  the 
Confederates  made  their  capture  when  the  last  wagon  fer 
ried  over  had  just  reached  the  north  side. 

The  men  captured  at  Occoquan  together  with  those  that 
had  been  captured  during  the  day  by  the  Confederates  were 
sent  back  that  night  under  guard  to  the  Confederate  cavalry 
winter  camp  near  Cedar  Mountain,  and  from  there,  after  a 
few  days  were  sent  by  rail  to  Richmond.  At  Richmond 
the  prisoners  were  confined  in  Castle  Thunder  as  Libby 
Prison  was  overcrowded.  It  was  somewhat  crowded  also 
in  Castle  Thunder  as  the  one  room  of  moderate  dimensions 
in  which  the  prisoners  were  placed  was  made  to  contain 
some  three  hundred  and  twenty  odd  men.  While  in  prison 

121 


EDWARD  E.  WOOD 

the   prisoners   were   allowed   to   keep   their   overcoats   and 
blankets. 

In  the  latter  part  of  January  the  prisoners  were  sent  from 
Richmond  to  City  Point,  Va.,  to  be  sent  back  to  the  Union 
lines  to  be  kept  at  Camp  Parole,  Annapolis,  until  exchanged. 
On  leaving  Richmond  the  overcoats  and  blankets  were  taken 
from  the  prisoners.  The  trip  from  City  Point  to  Fortress 
Monroe,  though  made  in  mid-winter  and  without  overcoats 
or  blankets,  was  not  productive  of  much  suffering  as  the 
boat  was  not  uncomfortable.  From  Fortress  Monroe  to 
Annapolis,  however,  the  trip  was  made  after  night  and  in 
a  severe  winter  storm,  in  an  open  freight  boat,  and  much 
suffering  was  endured.  On  arrival  at  Parole  Camp,  Anna 
polis,  it  was  two  or  three  weeks  before  the  prisoners 
received  an  issue  of  overcoats  or  blankets,  and  great  suf 
fering,  much  sickness,  and  many  deaths  were  the  result. 
These  things  are  now  in  the  dim  past,  but  it  is  well  to  recall 
them ;  it  was  a  part  of  the  price  paid  for  the  prosperity  and 
comfort  of  today.  May,  1863,  a  general  exchange  of 
prisoners  was  declared,  of  all  those  captured  before  the 
date  of  exchange. 

In  November,  1863,  Sergeant  Wood  was  made  acting 
first  sergeant  of  his  company  and  filled  that  position  until 
April,  1864,  when  he  was  appointed  first  sergeant. 

Sergeant  Wood  took  part  in  the  celebrated  Kilpatrick 
Raid  to  Richmond  in  February,  1864,  in  which  Colonel 
Dahlgren  met  his  death.  General  Kilpatrick's  force  in  this 
raid,  about  4,000,  was  formed  by  selections  from  all  the 
regiments  of  the  Cavalry  Corps  in  the  Army  of  the  Po 
tomac,  the  detail  from  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cav 
alry  being  under  the  command  of  Major  W.  H.  Spera. 
May  12,  1864,  Sergeant  Wood  was  promoted  from  first 
sergeant  to  first  lieutenant  to  fill  the  vacancy  occasioned 
by  the  death  of  Lieutenant  Schultz  who  was  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Meadow  Bridge,  near  Richmond,  during  the  cele 
brated  Sheridan's  Raid. 

Lieutenant  Wood  was  mustered  into  the  U.  S.  service  as 
first  lieutenant  July  22,  1864. 

122 


EDWARD  E.  WOOD 

In  August,  on  the  promotion  of  Captain  Spera  to  major, 
Lieutenant  Wood  took  command  of  Company  C,  and  com 
manded  it  until  he  was  appointed  acting  adjutant  of  the 
regiment,  after  the  battle  of  Winchester,  W.  Va.,  in  which 
battle  the  adjutant  of  the  regiment,  Lieutenant  James  A. 
Clark,  was  taken  prisoner. 

At  the  battle  of  Dinwiddie  Court  House,  Va.,  February 
28,  1865,  it  was  discovered  that  the  left  of  the  regiment 
which  was  on  the  left  of  the  brigade  had  no  con 
nection  with  any  organization  in  that  direction.  Lieu 
tenant  Wood  was  ordered  to  go  and  find  out  whether  there 
was  any  Union  force  in  that  direction  and  where  it  was. 
His  course  took  him  directly  in  front  of  the  Confederate 
line,  in  full  view  and  under  a  heavy  fire,  as  it  was  found 
that  not  only  was  there  a  long  interval  or  gap  between  the 
regiment's  left  and  the  other  brigade,  but  that  the  latter's 
position  was  much  in  advance  of  that  of  the  regiment.  Here 
his  horse's  bridle  reins  gave  way,  either  broken  or  shot,  and 
the  horse  becoming  unmanageable  bolted  towards  the  Con 
federate  line.  Lieutenant  Wood  dismounted,  reached  the 
position  of  the  other  brigade,  and  returned,  having  success 
fully  fulfilled  his  orders. 

Lieutenant  Wood  performed  the  duties  of  regimental  ad 
jutant  from  the  time  of  his  appointment  as  acting  adjutant, 
in  September,  1864,  until  the  muster  out  of  the  regiment 
June  16,  1865,  at  Cloud's  Mills,  Va.,  near  Alexandria.  The 
final  closing  up,  packing,  and  shipment  of  the  regimental 
records  were  accomplished  by  him,  by  the  direction  of  the 
regimental  commander,  Colonel  Coe  Durland. 

On  the  muster  out  of  the  regiment,  in  June,  1865,  pro 
visional  regiments  were  formed,  made  up  of  men  from  the 
old  organizations  whose  term  of  service  did  not  expire  un 
til  October  i,  1865.  The  Second  Provisional  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry,  was  made  up  from  the  former  First,  Sixth,  and 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  with  enough  officers 
taken  from  the  old  organizations  to  officer  the  new  one. 
Lieutenant  Wood  was  assigned  to  the  Second  Provisional 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  as  First  Lieutenant  of  Company  G, 

123 


EDWARD  E.  WOOD 

the  captain  of  which  was  Captain  English,  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  As  Lieutenant  Wood's  per 
formance  of  his  duties  as  acting  adjutant  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  had  attracted  the  favorable  notice  and 
commendation  of  brigade  and  division  headquarters,  he  was, 
immediately  upon  his  assignment  to  the  Second  Provisional 
Pennsylvania,  detailed  for  duty  upon  the  staff  of  the  First 
Cavalry  Division  as  assistant  mustering  officer.  He  remain 
ed  on  duty  on  the  division  staff  until  his  regiment  was  order 
ed  from  Washington  to  Louisville,  Kentucky.  He  there 
upon  rejoined  his  regiment  and  proceeded  with  it  to  Louis 
ville.  On  the  way  to  Louisville  and  for  some  days  aftei 
arrival,  Lieutenant  Wood  was  acting  regimental  quarter 
master  during  the  absence  of  the  quartermaster  of  the  regi 
ment.  The  regiment  was  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Ken 
tucky,  August  7,  1865,  and  with  the  final  parting  at  Harris- 
burg,  Pa.,  Lieutenant  Wood's  volunteer  service  in  the  War 
of  the  Rebellion  was  ended.  He  was. the  youngest  commis 
sioned  officer  in  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

In  the  spring  of  1866,  Lieutenant  Wood  had  an  oppor 
tunity  of  obtaining  a  commission  in  the  regular  army  of  the 
United  States,  but  he  desired  to  go  to  the  military  academy 
at  West  Point  in  which  there  would  be  a  vacancy  from  his 
congressional  district  the  following  June.  Instead  there 
fore  of  availing  himself  of  this  opportunity  to  obtain  a 
commission,  he  took  the  competitive  examination  in  his 
district  for  appointment  to  West  Point.  Although  having 
been  away  from  school  for  over  three  years,  he  was  suc 
cessful  over  sixteen  competitors,  and,  accordingly,  received 
the  appointment  from  Hon.  Thaddeus  Stevens,  then  Con 
gressman  from  his  district.  Lieutenant  Wood  was  the  last 
appointment  Mr.  Stevens  made  to  West  Point,  as  he  died 
in  1868.  Lieutenant  Wood  entered  West  Point  in  June, 
1866,  and  was  graduated  in  June,  1870;  his  standing  in  his 
class  was  number  6  in  a  class  of  58.  He  had  filled  the  posi 
tions  of  cadet  sergeant-major,  and  cadet  adjutant,  these  be 
ing  the  most  highly  prized  military  positions  in  the  corps  of 
cadets. 

124 


EDWARD  E.  WOOD 

As  his  graduation  standing  in  his  class  was  sufficiently 
high  to  entitle  him  to  a  choice  of  regiments,  Lieutenant 
Wood  chose  the  Eighth  Regiment  of  Cavalry  and  was  as 
signed  thereto,  joining  his  regiment  at  Fort  Union,  N.  M., 
in  September,  1870.  The  colonel  of  the  Eighth  Cavalry  was 
General  J.  Irwin  Gregg,  formerly  colonel  of  the  Sixteenth 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry ;  the  lieutenant-colonel  was  General 
Thomas  C.  Devin,  formerly  commander  of  the  Second  Bri 
gade  and  of  the  First  Division  Cavalry  Corps,  in  which  the 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  served;  the  adjutant  was 
Lieutenant  Mahnken,  formerly  captain  and  assistant  adju 
tant-general  of  the  Second  Brigade. 

In  November,  1872,  Lieutenant  Wood  was  ordered  to 
West  Point  as  instructor  of  French,  and,  in  1876,  was  ap 
pointed  assistant  professor  of  that  language.  In  1879  he 
was  appointed  aide-de-camp  on  the  personal  staff  of  Major 
General  Schofield.  He  rejoined  his  regiment  in  November, 
1882.  In  1883  he  was  ordered  to  West  Point  as  assistant 
professor  of  French,  and,  in  1884,  he  was  appointed  assis 
tant  professor  of  Spanish.  In  January,  1886,  he  was  pro 
moted  to  captain,  and  then  joined  his  troop  which  was  en 
gaged  in  the  Indian  war  known  as  the  Geronimo  Campaign. 
In  1888  he  participated  with  his  regiment  in  the  march  across 
the  United  States  from  Texas  to  Dakota  and  Montana, 
which  is  one  of  the  longest  continuous  marches  on  record. 

In  1889  ne  was  again  ordered  to  West  Point  as  assistant 
professor  of  Spanish,  and,  in  1892,  he  was  appointed  pro 
fessor  of  modern  languages  at  the  Military  Academy,  the 
rank  being  that  of  lieutenant-colonel,  and  colonel,  after  ten 
years  service  as  professor.  On  September  17,  1910,  Colonel 
Wood  was  placed  upon  the  retired  list  by  operation  of  law. 
He  has  a  continuous  service  record  of  over  47  years  in  the 
army,  and  one  of  the  last  of  the  veterans  of  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion  to  leave  the  active  list  of  the  army. 

As  a  matter  of  interest  to  the  members  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  it  is  thought  proper  to  give  the 
following  extracts  from  official  commendations  given  to  a 
former  member  of  their  regiment.  The  first  is  from  General 
Schofield,  the  former  distinguished  commanding  general  of 

I25 

9— 17th    R. 


EDWARD  E.  WOOD 

the  army.  The  second  is  from  General  Merritt  well  known 
to  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  as  the  distin 
guished  commander  of  the  First  Cavalry  Division,  and  of 
the  First  and  Third  Cavalry  Divisions  in  the  final  cam 
paign  in  1865. 

********** 

"His  career  throughout  has  been  marked  by  ability,  in 
telligence,  industry,  and  perfect  fidelity  in  the  discharge  of 
every  duty.  Especially  as  an  officer  of  the  staff,  Lieuten 
ant  Wood  has  merited  the  high  official  esteem  and  personal 
regard  of  the  major-general  commanding." 

********** 

"Your  quiet,  determined,  and  active  attention  to  your 
duties,  your  knowledge  of  your  profession,  and  your 
thorough  and  conscientious  discharge  of  every  duty  have 
won  the  admiration  of  your  superiors  and  the  respect  of  all 
who  know  you. 

********** 

"As  head  of  the  academy,  I  thank  you  most  earnestly  for 
\our  services,  and  as  a  colonel  of  cavalry,  I  am  proud  of 
you  as  a  cavalry  officer." 

Brigadier-general  E.  E.  Wood  was  retired  from  active 
service  by  operation  of  law  at  the  age  of  sixty-four  years. 

September  17,  1910,  by  virtue  of  the  act  of  Congress, 
April  23,  1904,  he  was  given  by  the  President  the  rank  of 
brigadier-general  U.  S.  army,  which  was  confirmed  by  the 
Senate  since  his  retirement.  He  now  resides  at  West  Ches 
ter,  Pennsylvania. 


126 


REMINISCENCES  OF  URIAH  R.  REINHOLD, 
CAPTAIN  COMPANY  I. 

CANTON,  OHIO,  December  5,  1910. 
H.  P.  Moyer : 

DEAR  COMRADE — In  reply  to  your  request  to  send  you 
some  reminiscences  of  our  regiment  in  the  Civil  War,  I  take 
great  pleasure  in  submitting  the  following : 

I  was  born  in  Jackson  Township,  Lebanon  County,  Pa., 
March  26,  1837.  My  early  life  was  spent  assisting  my 
father,  who  was  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  and  who  also  con 
ducted  a  tannery.  I  early  acquired  a  fondness  for  good 
horses.  From  1857  to  1862,  I  conducted  a  general  merchan 
dise  business  in  Myerstown,  Pa.  In  the  fall  of  1862,  when 
Captain  William  Tice,  of  Myerstown,  received  a  commission 
from  Governor  Andrew  G.  Curtin  to  recruit  a  cavalry  com 
pany  for  three  years  or  during  the  war,  I  disposed  of  my 
mercantile  business  and  took  an  active  part  in  recruiting 
what  was  then  called  the  "Jackson  Cavalry."  When  the  com 
pany  was  organized,  I  was  elected  second  lieutenant  and  be 
fore  we  left  Camp  Curtin  I  was  elected  first  lieutenant  of 
the  company.  Later  I  received  a  commission  as  captain  and 
was  placed  in  command  of  Company  I,  of  the  regiment,  and 
served  in  that  position  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

In  the  official  records  very  little  mention  is  made  of  the 
regiment  while  doing  provost  duty  in  the  Shenandoah  Val 
ley  with  headquarters  at  Winchester,  W.  Va.  This  may  have 
been  because  its  services  while  thus  detached  from  the  bri 
gade  were  performed  in  small  details,  from  ten  to  a  hundred 
men  or  more,  in  messenger  and  escort  duties,  keeping  open 
the  line  of  communication  between  General  Sheridan's  front 
and  his  base  of  supply,  an  average  distance  of  about  sixty 
miles.  The  duties  were  most  arduous  and  extremely  hazard 
ous.  The  Shenandoah  Valley  was  the  stamping  ground  of 
Mosby's,  McNeill's,  and  Gilmor's  guerrillas.  It  was  nothing 
unusual  for  these  guerrillas  to  capture  entire  details,  usually 
fighting  about  three  to  one.  The  men  were  almost  constantly 
in  the  saddle. 

127 


REMINISCENCES   OF   URIAH   R.   REINHOLD 

I  recall  an  instance  when  I  was  in  charge  of  a  detail  of  30 
men  to  escort  an  officer  from  the  front  to  Martinsburg,  mid 
got  through  all  right.  The  following  morning  I  was  ordered 
to  report  to  the  chief  quartermaster  at  Martinsburg.  I  was 
informed  that  some  two  hundred  wagons  loaded  with  sup 
plies,  a  regiment  of  infantry  and  a  battery  of  six  pieces 
would  start  for  the  front  that  morning.  The  quartermaster- 
general  ordered  me  to  accompany  him  as  his  escort.  We 
rode  at  the  head  of  the  column.  After  we  had  passed  Bun 
ker  Hill,  regarded  as  the  most  dangerous  point  on  the  route, 
the  quartermaster-general  directed  me  to  follow  him,  as  the 
infantry  column  moved  too  slowly,  and  he  was  going  to  pro 
ceed  to  Winchester  as  rapidly  as  possible.  When  we  were 
about  one  mile  ahead  of  the  wagon  train,  we  met  an  ambu 
lance  coming  toward  us  at  full  speed,  with  an  escort  of  about 
twenty  men,  and  about  100  guerrillas  chasing  them.  The 
approach  was  so  sudden  that  before  we  could  make  any  de 
fense  they  were  upon  us  and  there  was  a  general  mixup. 
To  add  to  the  confusion  the  guerrillas  were  dressed  in  blue 
uniforms.  It  was  difficult  to  distinguish  friend  from  foe.  I 
was  surrounded  and  a  demand  was  made  for  me  to  surren 
der.  I  had  a  good  horse ;  I  gave  him  the  spurs ;  he  made  a 
leap  and  I  got  away.  They  followed  me  and  shot  after  me, 
but  I  got  back  to  the  wagon  train,  as  also  did  some  of  my 
men.  The  ambulance  and  a  number  of  men  were  captured. 
The  guerrillas,  in  following  our  men,  ran  into  our  infantry, 
who,  in  the  meantime,  had  formed  and  gave  them  a  good 
volley.  The  artillery  also  unlimbered  and  gave  them  a  few 
shots.  The  guerrillas  were  scattered  and,  in  their  haste  to 
get  away,  the  ambulance  was  recaptured. 

Another  skirmish  with  the  guerrillas  I  recall  was  some 
time  later,  when  Captain  Ham,  of  our  regiment,  and  myself, 
with  a  detail  of  forty-eight  men,  were  sent  out  the  Berryville 
Pike  to  investigate  a  skirmish  that  occurred  the  day  before. 
When  we  arrived  at  the  place,  about  ten  miles  from  Win 
chester,  Captain  Ham  made  a  halt  and  formed  his  line  in  an 
open  field. 

He  then  ordered  me  to  take  four  men  and  proceed  to  a 
farm  house,  a  short  distance  away,  and  ascertain  whether 

128 


REMINISCENCES   OF   URIAH   R.   REINHOLD 

there  were  any  wounded  men  in  the  house.  When  I  came  to 
the  house  I  stationed  three  men  to  keep  a  lookout  and  one  to 
take  care  of  my  horse,  and  entered  the  house.  I  found  sev 
eral  wounded  men  in  the  house.  All  of  a  sudden  I  heard  fir 
ing  and  my  sentinels  called  me.  When  I  came  out  of  the 
house  three  of  my  sentinels  had  deserted  me.  I  hurriedly 
jumped  on  my  horse,  gave  him  the  spurs  and  he  cleared  a 
stone  wall  into  a  field.  I  followed  in  the  direction  of  some 
other  men  who  were  making  for  the  woods  at  the  edge  of 
the  field,  where  we  were  joined  by  Captain  Ham  and  some 
eight  of  his  men.  Jerre  Mumma,  one  of  my  men,  was  killed. 
Captain  Ham,  myself  and  about  fifteen  men  made  our  way 
to  Charlestown.  About  twenty-five  of  our  men  were  cap 
tured  and  some  five  or  six  killed. 

Another  experience  I  recall  was  this :  I  was  placed  in 
charge  of  a  detail  of  fifty  men  to  accompany  a  staff  officer 
and  a  colored  man  as  guide  to  proceed  some  thirty  miles  into 
the  country  to  capture  some  bushwhackers  who  had  made  a 
certain  place  their  headquarters.  We  left  Winchester  about 
sundown  and  made  a  forced  march  of  about  thirty  miles 
over  rough  roads.  We  arrived  at  our  destination  about  one 
o'clock  at  night.  I  stationed  about  one-half  of  my  detail 
around  the  house.  About  ten  men  were  selected  to  enter  the 
house  and  the  balance  were  stationed  as  a  reserve.  Upon 
entering  the  house  we  found  no  one  on  the  first  floor,  but  we 
heard  a  noise  on  the  second  floor.  We  called  upstairs,  but 
received  no  answer.  The  stairway  was  so  constructed  as  to 
make  a  sharp  turn  in  the  hall.  We  reached  around  the  cor 
ner  with  our  carbines,  making  a  noise  as  though  we  were 
ascending  the  stairway.  Immediately  a  volley  of  revolver 
shots  was  fired  from  the  top  of  the  stairway.  No  one  was 
shot.  We  now  rushed  upstairs  and  demanded  a  surrender. 

The  men  upstairs  attempted  to  jump  out  the  second-story 
windows,  but  were  immediately  fired  upon  by  m)'  men  on 
the  outside.  They  at  once  surrendered.  We  returned  to 
Winchester  with  our  prisoners  the  following  morning  about 
eight  o'clock,  having  marched  about  sixty  miles  in  about 
fourteen  hours,  and  all  for  the  capture  of  four  bush 
whackers. 

129 


REMINISCENCES   OF   URIAH   R.   REINHOLD 

PREMONITION  OF  AARON  WOOMER. 

Another  incident  I  recall  was  the  following:  Comrade 
Aaron  Woomer,  a  member  of  Company  E,  approached  me 
one  day  and  told  me  that  his  time  with  the  company  was 
about  up;  that  he  would  soon  go  home  to  his  Father.  He 
showed  me  his  Bible  and  said,  "This  book  everybody  ought 
to  read."  I  asked  him  whether  he  was  homesick.  He  said, 
"No."  I  tried  to  encourage  him,  but  he  seemed  very  positive 
that  his  time  was  very  short,  and  that  he  would  soon  be  kill 
ed.  I  repeated  this  conversation  to  Captain  William  Tice, 
and  we  concluded  we  would  take  him  out  of  the  ranks  and 
place  him  in  charge  of  our  mess  and  pack  mule,  which  we 
did.  A  few  days  afterward  our  brigade  made  a  reconnois- 
sance  to  White  Post,  and,  on  our  return,  the  enemy  had  ad 
vanced  their  line  to  Berryville  and  cut  off  our  direct  line  of 
retreat.  We  made  a  detour  around  the  town,  but  in  so  doing 
our  flank  was  attacked  by  the  Rebel  infantry.  In  the  engage 
ment  that  followed  the  regiment  was  formed  in  line  of  com 
panies,  with  the  pack  train  some  distance  in  the  rear.  A 
Rebel  battery  was  shelling  us  and  the  first  shell  fired  struck 
Aaron  Woomer,  killing  him  almost  instantly.  The  fact  was 
at  once  reported  to  me.  I  went  back  to  see  him.  He  lived 
just  long  enough  to  hand  me  his  watch  and  Bible,  with  a 
request  to  have  the  same  sent  to  his  wife,  which  I  did.  The 
last  words  he  said  were :  "I  told  you  my  time  was  short." 
We  could  not  bring  his  body  with  us,  so  we  buried  him  where 
he  was  shot. 

BATTLE  OF  FIVE  FORKS. 

In  reference  to  the  big  battles  in  which  the  regiment  took 
part,  I  regard  the  battle  of  Five  Forks,  April  i,  1865,  the 
severest  of  them  all.  On  the  first  day,  as  you  know,  we 
fought  mounted,  driving  the  enemy  back  to  their  breast 
works  near  Five  Forks.  We  made  several  mounted  charges, 
but  failed  to  dislodge  them.  We  then  waited  for  the  infantry 
to  come  up.  On  account  of  the  heavy  rains  and  muddy  roads 
they  were  very  slow  in  getting  on  the  field.  It  was  not  until 
late  in  the  afternoon  of  the  following  day  that  the  new  line 
of  battle  was  completed.  The  new  formation  placed  our 
regiment,  dismounted,  on  the  immediate  left  of  the  Fifth 

130 


REMINISCENCES    OF   URIAH   R.   REINHOLD 

Corps,  right  in  the  centre,  and  in  front  of  Five  Forks,  con 
fronted  by  breastworks  and  a  Rebel  battery. 

About  four  o'clock  the  signal  gun  was  fired  and  the  whole 
line  advanced.  In  our  immediate  front  we  drove  back  the 
Rebel  skirmish  line  until  they  took  refuge  behind  their 
breastworks..  We  were  now  ordered  to  charge.  This  charge 
was  the  hottest  place  I  was  in  during  my  entire  service.  If 
the  enemy  had  drawn  their  fire  a  little  lower,  I  don't  see  how 
anyone  could  have  escaped.  The  ground  over  which  we 
charged  was  on  a  rise,  and  the  trees  indicated  that  they  shot 
about  ten  feet  too  high  for  effectiveness.  We  carried  the 
works,  but  at  a  fearful  sacrifice.  Here  our  first  sergeant, 
Jesse  B.  Flickinger,  was  killed.  After  the  charge  I  ordered 
Sergeants  J.  A.  Loose  and  Samuel  Yiengst  to  take  him  to  the 
rear,  but  he  died  before  they  reached  the  hospital. 

THE  BATTLE  OF  CAMP-KETTLES. 

Another  incident  I  recall  that  may  interest  the  reader  oc 
curred  while  in  camp  at  Acquia  Creek,  near  Stafford  Court 
House,  Va.,  some  time  in  February,  1863.  The  regiment  was 
then  doing  picket  duty  in  the  rear  of  General  Hooker's  army. 
We  were  greatly  annoyed  by  guerrilla  attacks  at  night.  The 
call  of  "Boots  and  Saddles"  was  likely  to  be  heard  any  hour 
of  the  night ;  and  we  would  be  run  out  to  go  to  the  support 
of  some  picket  reserve  that  had  been  attacked  during  the 
night.  Then  sometimes,  too,  the  colonel  of  the  regiment 
v/ould  have  "Boots  and  Saddles"  sounded  during  the  night 
to  give  the  men  the  benefit  of  the  practice  in  turning  out 
quickly  for  emergency  attacks.  These  calls  became  monot 
onous,  so,  on  a  certain  rainy  night,  shortly  after  midnight, 
when  everything  was  quiet,  some  of  the  men,  bent  on  having 
a  little  fun,  selected  a  few  frisky  mules,  and  loaded  them 
down  with  a  lot  of  empty  camp  kettles,  mess  pans,  frying 
pans,  empty  tincups  and  anything  else  that  would  make  a 
noise,  and  turned  them  loose  at  the  foot  of  the  company 
streets.  The  affair  was  well  planned  and  was  a  perfect  suc 
cess.  A  number  of  tents  were  demolished,  whilst  the  mules 
got  all  tangled  up  with  the  horses  tied  to  the  picket  rope, 
and,  in  a  short  time,  there  was  a  general  stampede  all  over 


REMINISCENCES   OF   URIAH   R.   REINHOLD 

the  camp.  The  men  rushed  out  of  their  tents,  thinking  that 
possibly  Hampton's  Legion  had  made  a  midnight  call.  The 
surprise  was  complete,  and  the  excitement  that  obtained  for 
a  half  hour  and  more  can  perhaps  better  be  imagined  than 
described.  It  was  some  time  until  the  regimental  guard  cap 
tured  the  mules  and  restored  order.  The  following  morn 
ing,  at  roll  call,  an  effort  was  made  to  detect  the  guilty  party, 
but  all  answered,  "Not  Guilty." 

A  FAMOUS  WAR  HORSE. 

About  twenty-five  years  after  the  war,  there  died,  on  the 
farm  of  Day  Wood,  Goshen,  Lancaster  county,  Pa.,  a  horse 
brought  home  at  the  close  of  the  war  by  Lieutenant  E.  E. 
Wood,  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

This  horse  came  to  the  regiment,  then  stationed  with  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  in  the  fall  of  1862  and  was  owned 
and  ridden  by  Major  R.  R.  Reinhold,  who  rode  him  until  he 
resigned.  In  the  meantime  he  had  been  through  Sheridan's 
Raid  to  Richmond,  the  Trevilian  Raid  and  the  march  from 
City  Point  to  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 

He  had  been  in  the  battles  of  the  Wilderness,  Yellow  Tav 
ern,  Meadow  Bridge,  Hanovertown,  Hawes'  Shop,  Bethesda 
Church,  Cold  Harbor,  Trevilian  Station,  White  House  and 
others  not  so  important.  After  Major  R.  R.  Reinhold  resign 
ed,  this  horse  became  the  property  of  Capt.  M.  R.  Reinhold, 
a  cousin  of  the  major,  who  rode  him  until  the  early  part  of 
September,  1864,  when  the  captain  was  killed,  in  the  saddle, 
in  a  skirmish  on  the  Opequon  River. 

After  the  death  of  Captain  M.  R.  Reinhold,  his  brother, 
Captain  U.  R.  Reinhold,  bought  the  horse  and  rode  him  un 
til  the  regiment  was  mustered  out,  June  15,  1865.  He  went 
through  the  Winchester  and  Shenandoah  Valley  campaigns ; 
the  march  from  the  Shenandoah  Valley  to  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  before  Petersburg,  in  February  and  March,  1865 ; 
the  battles  of  Dinwiddie  Court  House,  Five  Forks,  Sailor's 
Creek;  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox,  April  9,  1865; 
the  march  to  Washington  and  the  Grand  Review  at  Wash 
ington,  D.  C.  It  was  this  horse  that  saved  me  from  being 
captured  in  at  least  two  skirmishes  in  the  Shenandoah  Val- 
ley. 

132 


J.  WILSON  DF.WITT. 
Assistant   Surgeon,  St.  (icor 


Del. 


THE  MEDICAL   DEPARTMENT   OF  THE 
REGIMENT. 

BY    BREVET    MAJOR    J.    WILSON    DEWITT,    ASSISTANT    SURGEON, 
OF  THE  REGIMENT,  ST.  GEORGE,  DEL. 

Because  of  the  many  exposures  and  long  and  weary 
marches  to  which  the  men  were  subjected,  the  sick  calls  were 
usually  well  patronized.  To  properly  care  for  the  sick  and 
wounded  was  a  source  of  much  concern  to  those  who  had 
charge  of  the  medical  department.  Large  quantities  of  medi 
cal  supplies  were  necessary.  During  great  battles  the  de 
mands  for  prompt  and  efficient  service  for  the  wounded 
were  usually  far  beyond  the  capacity  of  even  the  most  skill 
ful  surgeons  to  supply. 

On  October  23,  1862,  Doctor  James  B.  Moore  was  ap 
pointed  assistant  surgeon  of  the  regiment,  and  served  in 
that  capacity  until  July  18,  1863,  when  he  resigned.  Doctor 
Moore  was  a  polished  Irish  scholar,  a  graduate  of  Dublin 
Medical  College,  and  somewhat  of  a  poet.  His  medical  edu 
cation  was  very  superior. 

Doctor  Isaac  Walborn  was  appointed  surgeon-in-chief  of 
the  regiment  January  10,  1863,  and  served  in  that  capacity 
until  September  28,  1863,  when  he  was  obliged  to  resign  on 
account  of  disability.  He  was  badly  wounded  in  the  battle 
of  Beverly  Ford,  April  28,  1863.  Doctor  Walborn  was  of 
good  Pennsylvania-German  stock  and  served  the  regiment 
with  fidelity. 

Doctor  J.  Wilson  DeWitt,  a  mixture  of  French  and 
Scotch-Irish  stock,  was  commissioned  as  assistant  surgeon 
and  joined  the  regiment  April  10,  1863.  He  was  immediate 
ly  assigned  to  the  smallpox  hospital  at  Acquia  Creek,  Vir 
ginia.  After  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  he  was  placed  in 
sole  charge  of  a  hospital  containing  about  two  hundred 
wounded.  His  responsibility  here  was  great  and  his  duties 
most  arduous.  After  the  removal  of  the  wounded  to  Alex 
andria,  Virginia,  he  joined  the  regiment  at  Aldie,  Va.,  while 
on  the  march  to  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  and  was  assigned  as  senior 

133 


THE  MEDICAL  DEPARTMENT 

assistant  surgeon  of  the  regiment,  acting  as  such  until  Octo 
ber,  1863,  when  Doctor  T.  S.  C.  Gardner  was  assigned  to 
the  regiment  as  surgeon-in-chief,  serving  in  that  capacity 
until  April  6,  1864,  when  he  resigned.  After  the  war  Doc 
tor  DeWitt  entered  into  private  practice  and  located  in  St. 
George,  Delaware,  where  he  enjoys  a  lucrative  practice  and 
is  highly  esteemed.  He  has  been  on  the  United  States  Board 
of  Pensions  for  sixteen  years,  a  member  of  the  State  Board 
of  Health  of  Delaware  for  eight  years,  and  president  of  the 
Board  of  Education  of  his  native  town  for  fifteen  years. 

Doctor  George  B.  Pomroy  was  appointed  surgeon-in-chief 
of  the  regiment  May  2,  1864,  and  served  as  such  until  the 
final  muster  out  of  the  regiment,  June,  1865.  Doctor  De- 
Witt  was  mustered  out  of  the  service  by  general  order  on 
account  of  the  close  of  the  war,  June  20,  1865.  It  has 
always  been  a  source  of  much  gratification  to  me  to  have 
had  the  privilege  of  being  identified  with  this  gallant  regi 
ment  during  almost  the  entire  period  of  its  service. 


134 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  LIEUTENANT 
H.  G.  BONEBRAKE. 

Company   G,    Seventeenth    Regiment,    Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry. 

WINCHESTER  CAMPAIGN. 

On  September  20,  1864,  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry  was  ordered  to  report  to  Colonel  E.  O.  Edwards, 
of  the  Thrity-seventh  Massachusetts  Regiment,  with  head 
quarters  at  Winchester,  for  provost  duty,  and  was  detached 
from  the  brigade  until  November  25,  1864,  when  the  regi 
ment  was  relieved  by  the  Sixth  New  York  Cavalry. 

Winchester  is  located  about  thirty  miles  south  of  the  Po 
tomac  River,  a  little  south  of  the  centre  of  the  Shenandoah 
Valley,  and  occupied  an  important  position  on  the  military 
map  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia. 

Until  the  fall  of  1864,  the  Shenandoah  Valley  was  the 
open  back  door  for  the  Confederate  army  to  make  raids  in 
to  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  and  threaten  Washington, 
Harrisburg,  Baltimore  and  other  northern  cities. 

The  Shenandoah  Valley  and  Loudon  Valley  adjoining 
were  also  the  stamping  grounds  of  Mosby  and  his  guerrillas, 
which  made  provost  and  patrol  duty  extremely  hazardous. 
The  men  of  the  regiment  frequently  declared  that  they  would 
rather  go  on  duty  on  the  picket  line,  or  go  into  battle  than 
do  patrol  duty  on  the  highway  between  Harper's  Ferry, 
Martinsburg,  Winchester  and  the  front.  For  the  enemy  they 
had  to  meet  were  citizens  by  day  and  soldiers  by  night.  They 
would  come  within  the  Union  lines  by  day  and  learn  the 
disposition  of  our  pickets  and  patrols,  and  then  during  the 
night,  with  a  sufficient  force  of  men,  would  capture  our 
posts  or  lie  in  wait  and  capture  our  patrols.  When  pursued 
they  would  scatter  to  their  homes,  and  were  citizens.  If 
arrested,  they  would  take  the  oath  of  allegiance,  and  were 
generally  released.  They  would  never  show  fight  in  the 
open  field.  The  report  was  made  in  camp  one  day,  that 
Colonel  Mosby  said  to  a  Union  officer  he  had  captured; 

135 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

"Fighting  is  not  my  business,  neither  do  I  care  much  for 
prisoners.  What  I  am  after  is  horses,  arms  and  the  money 
I  can  make  out  of  it." 

The  following  are  a  few  extracts  taken  from  the  diary 
of  Lieutenant  H.  G.  Bonebrake,  of  Company  G  of  the  regi 
ment,  covering  the  Winchester  campaign. 

Sept.  20,  1864  The  regiment  reported  to  Colonel  E.  O.  Edwards,  with 
headquarters  at  Winchester,  for  provost  duty.  The  en 
tire  day  was  devoted  to  establishing  hospitals,  caring  for 
the  wounded  and  establishing  a  picket  line.  At  6  p.  m. 
the  entire  first  squadron  was  detailed  to  go  to  Harper's 
Ferry. 

sept.  21,  1864  The  regiment  received  over  two  hundred  new  recruits. 
These  were  very,  much  needed  to  replenish  our  depleted 
ranks. 


sept   22   1864  scluadron  which  had  been     sent     to     Harper's 

Ferry  returned.  Clothing  and  other  supplies  which  were 
much  needed,  were  issued  to  the  regiment. 

sept  23  1864  Several  thousand  Confederate  prisoners  passed  through 
Winchester  today  on  their  way  to  Harper's  Ferry. 

sept  24  1864  About  one  thousand  prisoners  and  twenty-one  pieces  of 
artillery,  that  were  captured  during  the  last  three  or  four 
days,  arrived  at  Winchester. 

Captain   Ham  and   Lieutenant   Reinhold  made  a   recon- 

oGpt.     -<•*->,     Iou4 

noissance  in  the  direction  of  Summit  Point,  and,  coming  in 
contact  with  Mosby's  command,  lost  their  whole  com 
mand,  save  nine  men.  The  remainder  of  the  regiment 
under  command  of  Major  Coe  Durland  went  in  pursuit  of 
Mosby's  guerrillas,  but  did  not  find  them. 

sept.  26,  1864  Captain  Ham,  Lieutenant  Reinhold  and  nine  men,  who 
escaped  in  a  fight  with  Mosby  yesterday,  arrived  in  camp. 
Sergeant  J.  Porter,  with  a  detail  of  five  men,  started  for 
Harper's  Ferry  with  dispatches. 

sept  27  1864  Captain  Kurtz,  with  a  detail  of  seventy-five  men,  left 
today  for  Martinsburg. 

sept.  28,  1864  Captain  Kurtz  returned  from  Martinsburg  with  a  very 
large  supply  train.  We  also  received  mail  today.  We  also 
received  blanks  to  make  up  our  pay  rolls. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

Captain    Donohoo,    with   a    detail    of    forty   men,    went    sept,  so,  1864 
to  Martinsburg  with  dispatches. 

Captain  English  and  Lieutenant  Snively,  with  seventy-  Oct.  2,  1864 
five  men,  went  to  Martinsburg  for  the  purpose  of  guard 
ing  a  supply  train  to  the  front.  Lieutenant-colonel  An 
derson  returned  from  General  Sheridan's  headquarters. 
Sergeant  D.  Royer,  in  charge  of  a  detail,  was  attached  yes 
terday  by  guerrillas ;  and  M.  Ley  of  Company  G,  and  Miller 
of  Company  A,  were  killed.  We  buried  a  Confederate 
soldier  in  the  cemetery  this  evening. 

Captain  English  and  Lieutenant  Snively  returned   from       Oct.  3,  1864 
Martinsburg  with  a  large  supply  train.     Lieutenant  Rogers, 
with  twenty-five  men,  accompanied  them. 

Major  Spera,  with  one  hundred  men,  was  sent  on  a  re-      Oct.  4,  1864 
connoissance  after  Mosby's  guerrillas.     The  command  re 
turned  to  camp  about  midnight  and  reported  that  they  were 
on  the  trail  of  Mosby,  but  failed  to  catch  him. 

Thirty  men  of  the  first  squadron  were  detailed  to  guard       Oct.  5,  1864 
an  infantry  foraging  party  into  the  country.     Large  sup 
ply  train  arrived  in  camp.     Several   details  were  sent   to 
Martinsburg  and  Harper's  Ferry.     Mail  was  received. 

The  first  squadron  went  to  Martinsburg.     Captain  Kurtz       Oct.  8,  ISM 
and  Lieutenant  Snively  were  robbed  last  night.     Consider 
able  excitement  in  camp  on  account  of  the  robbery.     Mail 
received  today. 

First    squadron    returned     from     Martinsburg   late   last      Oct.  9,  1864 
night.     Lieutenant  Snively,  with  a  detail,  left  for  Martins 
burg. 

Captain  Ham,  with  his  company,  was  sent  to  the  front,     Oct.  11,  1864 
and  being  attacked  by  guerrillas,  lost  a  number  of  men. 
The  regiment  received  some  new  horses. 

Lieutenant  Snively,  with  twenty-five  men,  returned  from     Oct.  12,  1864 
Martinsburg  with  dispatches. 

A  report  reached  camp  that  a  detachment  of  the  Twenty-     Oct.  is,  1864 
second  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  had  been  attacked 
yesterday  by  Mosby's  guerrillas  and  a  number  of  prisoners 
taken.     The  regiment  went  in  pursuit  but  did  not  find  the 
enemy. 

137 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

Oct.  14,  1864  This  morning  a  very  large  number  of  teams  left  Win 
chester  for  Martinsburg  for  supplies. 

Oct.  is,  1864  Major  Spera  and  Lieutenants  Freeman  and  Corse,  with 
a  detail  of  seventy-five  men,  arrived  from  General  Sheri 
dan's  headquarters.  This  evening  a  cavalry  officer,  who 
died  in  one  of  the  hospitals,  was  buried  in  the  cemetery. 

Oct.  16,  1864  A  large  detail  went  to  Martinsburg.  Captain  Kurtz  and 
a  number  of  men  who  had  been  home  on  furlough,  return 
ed  to  camp. 

Oct.  is,  1864  General  Sheridan  arrived  at  Winchester  today  from 
Martinsburg  under  escort  of  Major  W.  H.  Spera  and  about 
fifty  men.  A  large  supply  train  also  arrived  at  Winchester 
from  Martinsburg  escorted  by  a  detachment  of  the  regi 
ment. 

Oct.  19,  1864  Rebels  surprised  the  Eighth  Corps  early  in  the  morning, 
capturing  a  considerable  number  of  prisoners  and  twenty 
pieces  of  artillery  and  driving  our  army  back  to  Newtown. 
General  Sheridan,  who  had  remained  all  night  at  Winchester, 
when  he  heard  the  booming  of  cannon,  hurriedly  left  Win 
chester  at  eight  o'clock  with  an  escort  of  fifty  men  of  the 
regiment  under  command  of  Major  W.  H.  Spera,  rushed 
to  the  front  with  all  possible  speed,  met  and  rallied  the 
defeated  Union  troops  in  the  vicinity  of  Newtown,  rees 
tablished  the  lines,  ordered  a  forward  movement,  drove  the 
Rebels  beyond  Fisher's  Hill,  capturing  forty-five  pieces  of 
artillery  and  a  large  number  of  prisoners.  In  the  evening 
the  regiment  moved  out  the  Front  Royal  Pike  some  seven 
or  eight  miles  and  did  patrol  and  picket  duty  during  the 
night. 

Oct.  20,  1864  Early  in  the  morning  the  regiment  returned  to  our  camp 
at  Winchester.  Captain  Kurtz,  with  a  detail  went  to 
Martinsburg.  Captain  Fitzgerald  and  Lieutenant  Snively  es 
corted  a  forage  train  into  the  country.  Captain  English 
with  his  company  went  to  Martinsburg. 

Oct.  22,  1864  Captain  English,  with  his  company,  returned  from  Mar 
tinsburg.  Lieutenant  Snively,  with  sixteen  men,  went  to 
the  front  with  dispatches. 

138 


EXTRACTS  FROM   DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

For  the  benefit  of   the  new   recruits   the   regiment  had     Oct.  24,  1864 
saber  exercise  in  the  forenoon  and  dress  parade  in  the  even 
ing. 

A  large  supply  train  arrived  from  Martinsburg.     News     Oct.  25,  1864 
reached  our  camp  that  Mosby's  guerrillas,  about  four  hun 
dred  strong,  captured  General  Duffy.     The  regiment  went 
in  pursuit  but  did  not  overtake  them.     A  large  mail  was 
received. 

Captain  Kurtz,  with  his  company,  was  detailed  to  escort     Oct.  26,  1864 
a   foraging  expedition  into   the   country.     Blankets,   over 
coats   and  socks   were   issued   to   the   regiment.     Received 
blanks  to  make  out  our  pay  rolls. 

Two  large  supply  trains  arrived  at  Winchester,  one  from     Oct.  27,  1864 
Martinsburg  on  its  way  to  the  front,  the  other  returning 
from   the   front   and   going   to   Martinsburg.      Lieutenant- 
colonel    Anderson    of    the    regiment    arrived    from    Camp 
Stoneman  with  a  detachment  of  remounted  men. 

Lieutenant-colonel   Anderson,   with   a   detachment,   went     Oct.  28,  1864 
to  the  front.     Lieutenant  Snively,  with  a  detail,  went  to 
Martinsburg  with  dispatches. 

Captain  Kurtz,  with  his  company,  went  to  Martinsburg.     Oct.  29,  1864 
A  special  detail  of  twenty  men  was  made  to  report  to  head 
quarters  for  scouting  duty. 

Captain  Kurtz  and  Lieutenant    Snively    returned     from     Oct.  so,  1864 
Martinsburg.     This  was  pay  day.     The  paymaster  paid  the 
regiment  in  full  to  August  31,  1864. 

Captain  Tice,  with  his  company,  left  at  noon  for  Martins-       NOV.  i,  1864 
burg,  and  Captain  Kurtz,  with  his  company,  started  from 
the  same  place  at  7  p.  m.    A  large  supply  train  arrived  from 
Martinsburg. 

Captains  Tice  and  Kurtz  returned  together  from  Martins-      NOV.  2,  1864 
burg.    Captain  English,  with  his  company,  left  camp,  about 
midnight,  for  the  front  with  dispatches. 

Captain  Donohoo,  with  a  detail  of  twenty-five  men,  es-      NOV.  4,  1864 
corted  some  officers  to  the  signal  station.     The  remainder 
of  the  regiment  escorted  General  Sheridan  to  the  railroad 
bridge  across  the  Opequon  Creek.     General  Sheridan  was 
taken  suddenly  ill,  and  Lieutenant  Paul,  with  twenty-three 

139 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

men,  was  hurriedly  dispatched  to  army  headquarters   for 
medical  directors. 

NOV.  5,  1864  Lieutenant  Snively,  with  a  detail,  went  to  Martinsburg. 
He  took  with  him  $501.00  which  he  expressed,  from  Mar 
tinsburg,  home  for  the  men.  A  large  supply  train  arrived 
from  Martinsburg.  Inspection  of  horses,  quite  a  few  be 
ing  condemned. 

NOV.  6,  1864  Sergeant  Potter  and  ten  men  were  detailed  for  picket 
duty.  Had  inspection  of  quarters  by  Major  Spera  and 
Doctor  Pomroy. 

NOV.  7,  1864  Captain  Ham  and  Lieutenant  Snively,  with  detail,  re 
turned  from  Martinsburg. 

NOV.  s,  1864  An  election  was  held  this  day  in  the  several  companies 
for  President  of  the  United  States.  There  were  383  votes 
cast  in  the  regiment.  Abraham  Lincoln  received  a  majority 
of  93  votes.  The  regiment  made  a  reconnoissance  in  the 
direction  of  White  Hall.  No  enemy  was  seen. 

NOV.  9,  1864  •  Captain  Kurtz,  with  another  detachment,  went  to  the 
front.  Lieutenant  Freeman,  with  another  detachment,  went 
to  Martinsburg  with  dispatches.  The  army  fell  back  to 
Kearnstown.  Supply  train  and  mail  arrived  at  Winchester. 

NOV.  10,  1864  Captain  Herr,  with  a  detachment  of  twenty-five  men, 
went  to  Martinsburg.  A  number  of  remounted  men  from 
Pleasant  Valley  Camp  reported  to  the  regiment.  Colonel 
J.  H.  Kellogg,  who  had  been  absent  from  the  regiment  for 
some  time,  reported  and  took  command. 

NOV.  11,  1864  Sergeant  J.  Fritz,  with  a  detail  of  ten  men,  escorted  some 
colonel,  whose  name  I  could  not  learn,  to  the  front.  Cap 
tain  Herr,  with  his  detail,  returned  from  Martinsburg.  Lieu 
tenant  Snively,  with  fifteen  men,  went  on  picket  duty.  Re 
ceived  mail  and  papers  containing  election  news  favorable 
to  Abraham  Lincoln's  election. 

NOV.  12,  1864  The  regimental  sutler  presented  a  barrel  of  ale  to  the  offi 
cers  of  the  regiment.  The  event  was  celebrated  at  the  head 
quarters  of  Captain  Kurtz.  This  occasioned  considerable 
comment  among  the  rank  and  file  because  they  were  ex 
cluded. 

NOV.  is,  1864  Colonel  Kellogg  and  Captain  Kurtz,  with  a  detail  of 
twenty-five  men,  went  to  Martinsburg.  The  detail  was  at- 

140 


EXTRACTS  FROM   DIARY  OF  H.   G.   BONEBRAKE 

tacked  by  Mosby's  guerrillas  at  Bunker  Hill.  After  a  short 
but  spirited  skirmish,  the  enemy  was  scattered  and  the 
detail  continued  the  march  without  any  further  annoyance. 
A  large  supply  train  arrived  at  Winchester  from  Martins- 
burg.  Mail  was  also  distributed  in  camp. 

Captain  Tice,  with  a  detail  of  twenty-five  men,  went  to     NOV.  14,  1864 
Martinsburg  with   dispatches.      Sergeant   Potter,   of   Com 
pany  C,  and  eighteen  men  were  detailed  for  picket  duty. 
Captain  Kurtz,  with  his  detail,  returned  from  Martinsburg. 

Captain  Tice    and    detail    of    twenty-five    men    returned     NOV.  is,  1864 
from  Martinsburg. 

Sergeant   Martin   Shaffner,  of   Company   E   with   a   de      Nov-  16>  1864 
tail  of  sixteen  men,  was  captured  by  Mosby's  guerrillas  near 
Opequon  Bridge.    The  sergeant  and  three  men  were  killed. 
The  regiment  went  in  pursuit  of  the  guerrillas  but  did  not 
succeed  in  locating  them. 

The  entire  regiment  escorted  General  .Sheridan  to  Ope-     NOV.  19,  1864 
quon   Bridge  on  a  reconnoitering  expedition.      No  enemy 
was  discovered. 

This  was  Thanksgiving  Day.     Several  turkeys  were  ser-     NOV.  24,  1864 
ved  as  Thanksgiving  dinner.     The  regiment  reconnoitered 
as  far  as  Berryville.    No  enemy  was  found. 

The   entire   regiment  escorted   General   Sheridan   to   the     NOV.  25,  1864 
railroad   station.     On   returning  to   camp  in   the   evening, 
to  our  surprise,  the  Sixth  New  York  Cavalry  had  arrived, 
with   orders   to   relieve   us   from   further   provost   duty  at 
Winchester. 

The  regiment  left  Winchester,  moved  out  the  Front  Royal     NOV.  27,  1864 
Pike  and  rejoined  our  brigade.     The  men  seemed  glad  to 
be  relieved. 

In  regard  to  these  extracts  from  Lieutenant  Bonebrake's 
diary,  the  reader  must  not  infer  that  this  is  a  complete  re 
cord  of  the  service  of  the  regiment  during  the  time  men 
tioned.  Personal  matters  of  course  were  eliminated,  and 
only  such  general  references  made  as  came  under  his  per 
sonal  observation. 

The  names  of  Captain  Kurtz  and  Lieutenant  Snively  are 
more  frequently  mentioned  than  the  rest  of  the  officers  be 
cause  they  were  the  officers  of  Lieutenant  Bonebrake's  own 

141 

10— 17th   R. 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

company,  G,  and  anything  special  occuring  to  them  would 
be  more  likely  to  be  recorded  in  his  diary  than  things  that 
had  occurred  in  other  companies,  or  transactions  which 
might  have  occurred  of  which  he  was  not  informed. 

Be  it  remembered  that  there  were  at  least  eleven  other 
captains  and  twenty-three  lieutenants  in  the  regiment  who 
were  as  frequently  detailed  for  similar  service  as  were 
Captain  Kurtz  and  Lieutenant  Snively,  hence  it  would  not 
be  unreasonable  to  estimate  that  only  about  one-fourth  of 
the  service  of  the  regiment  is  referred  to  in  this  diary. 

Another  prominent  factor  which  enters  into  the  service 
record  of  the  regiment  at  this  time  is  the  fact  that,  includ 
ing  the  two  hundred  recruits  received  September  21.  ^64, 
the  average  muster  of  the  regiment  at  this  time  was  only 
about  six-hundred  men,  another  evidence  of  the  arduous 
duties  required  of  the  regiment  during  the  Winchester  cam 
paign.  It  was  not  an  infrequent  occurrence  for  men  to  re 
turn  from  duty  and  he  called  out  again  the  same  day.  The 
men  were  almost  constantly  in  the  saddle,  day  and  night. 
There  was  a  restless  disposition  among  both  the  officers  and 
enlisted  men  of  the  regiment  at  this  time.  They  felt  that 
they  were  discriminated  against,  and  several  requests  had 
been  forwarded  to  headquarters  to  be  relieved. 

Colonel  E.  O.  Edwards,  commanding  post  at  Winchester, 
paid  the  regiment  the  following  compliment. 

"HEADQUARTERS,  U.   S.   FORCES, 
"WINCHESTER,  VAV  OCTOBER  14,  1864. 

"Major  Russell,  Asst.  Adjt.  Gen.,  Cavalry  Corps,  Middle  Military 

Division  : 

"As  Major  Durland  has  shown  me  your  reprimand  to  his  regi 
ment,  I  feel  called  upon  to  state  that  I  have  never  seen  a  better 
disciplined  cavalry  regiment  than  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry.  They  have  been  worked  very  hard  on  escort  duty,  and  of 
all  the  dispatches  carried  by  them,  but  one  has  been  lost.  The 
escort  in  charge  of  the  dispatches  I  refer  to,  was  in  charge  of  a 
sergeant  who  cut  his  way  through  and  arrived  at  Edenburg  safely 
where  he  was  furnished  an  escort  from  the  Fourteenth  Pennsylva 
nia  Cavalry  to  proceed  to  Harrisonburg.  That  escort  was  captured, 
together  with  the  sergeant  and  his  dispatches.  In  every  other  case 
they  have  cut  their  way  through  twice  their  number,  and  safely  de- 

142 


EXTRACTS   FROM   DIARY  OF  H.   G.   BONEBRAKE 

livered  their  dispatches.  The  escort  accompanying  Lieutenant-col 
onel  Tolles,  I  think,  was  ready  to  do  all  that  men  could  do.  I  learn 
that  the  rearguard  gave  timely  notice  of  the  approach  of  the  guer 
rillas,  that  the  lieutenant  in  charge  wished  to  turn  and  meet  them, 
that  Colonel  Tolles  gave  him  orders  not  to  do  so,  but  to  move  on 
at  a  steady  trot.  This  enabled  the  enemy  to  come  close  enough  to 
charge  and,  being  much  better  mounted,  they  were  able  to  charge 
into  the  midst  of  the  escort.  Perhaps  the  lieutenant  should  have 
commanded  his  escort  in  his  own  way,  but  I  do  not  consider  him 
much  to  blame. 

"I  have  felt  called  upon  to  write  this,  in  justice  to  the  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  and,  though   Major   Durland   requests  to  be 
ordered  to  the  front,  I  trust  he  will  not  be  relieved. 
"Very  respectfully, 

"Your  obedient  servant, 
"E.  O.  EDWARDS,  Colonel  Commanding  Post." 

LOUDON  VALLEY  BURNING  EXPEDITION. 

The  regiment  broke  camp  early  this  morning  near  Win-  Monday, 
Chester,  joined  the  division  and  marched  to  Upperville  by 
way  of  White  Post,  Berry's  Ferry,  Ashby's  Gap  and  Paris. 
Went  into  camp  at  Upperville,  and  the  entire  regiment  did 
picket  duty  for  the  night.  After  we  had  crossed  the  moun 
tain  into  Loudon  Valley,  we  burned  several  mills,  and  con 
siderable  hay  and  grain,  and  also  drove  along  some  cattle 
that  had  been  taken  during  the  day. 

We  marched  to  Snickersville  and  along  the  route  burned     NOV.  29,  1864 
all  the  grain,  hay,  and  mills,  and  also  captured  more  cattle, 
sheep  and  hogs  which  we  drove  along.     We  also  captured 
several   Rebels   who  were   supposed  to  belong  to   Mosby's 
guerrillas. 

Marched  to  Lovettsville  and  again  burned  all  the  grain     Nov>  30)  1864 
and  hay  along  the  route,  even  the  corn  shocks  in  the  fields. 
During  the  day  we  captured  some  good  horses,  also  more 
cattle,  hogs,  and  sheep  which  were  taken  along. 

Marched  to  Snickersville  by  way  of  Wheatland,  and  con-       Dec.  i,  1864 
tinued  the  work  of  destruction  and  the  capturing  of  cattle. 
Camped  for  the  night  near  Snickersville,  doing  picket  duty. 

Marched  to  Millwood  and  out  the  Winchester  Pike,  cross-       Dec.  2,  1864 
ing  the  Blue  Ridge  at  Snicker's  Gap.     Forded  the  Shenan- 
doah  River  at  Snicker's  Ferry,  passed  through  Berryville 

143 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

and  went  into  camp  about  ten  miles  from  Winchester.    The 
work  was  about  the  same  as  the  day  before. 

Dec.  3,  1864        Marched  by  way  of  Friendship  Mills  on   the  Opequon 

Creek.      Reached   Winchester   about   noon   and   went   into 

camp.     We  experienced  considerable  trouble  in  keeping  the 

.    cattle,  sheep  and  hogs  up  with  the  column. 

Dec.  4,  1864       The  First  and  Second  Squadrons  and  Company  E  were 

detailed  for  picket  duty. 

Dec.  e,  1864  The  First  and  Second  Squadrons  were  relieved  from 
picket  and  returned  to  camp.  Quite  a  large  number  of 
horses  were  condemned,  dismounting  a  number  of  our 
men. 

Dec.  7,  1864  Major  W.  H.  Spera  with  a  detachment  of  men  made  a  re- 
connoissance  and  returned  in  the  evening.  No  enemy  was 
discovered. 

Dec.  9,  1864        Quite  a  large  number  of  new  horses  were  received  by 
the  regiment  today.     Men  were  busy  building  winter  quar 
ters.     Major  Coe  Durland  started  for  home  on  a  fifteen- 
day  leave  of  absence. 
Dec.  10,  1864        Snow  fell  last  night  to  the  depth  of  about  five  inches. 

The  first  squadron  went  on  picket  duty. 

Dec.  is,  1864  Another  invoice  of  new  horses  was  received  by  the  regi 
ment,  and  an  order  was  issued  to  have  all  the  horses  rough 
shod. 

Dec.  is,  1864  General  inspection  of  horses  and  equipments.  Extra 
horse-shoes  and  nails  were  issued,  and  arrangements  made 
to  go  on  another  reconnoissance. 

GORDONSVILLE    RAID. 

Dec.  19,  1864  The  First  and  Second  Divisions  of  the  Cavalry  Corps 
left  Camp  Russell  at  7  :oo  a.  m.,  marched  by  way  of  White 
Post  and  Cedarville,  and  camped  for  the  night  near  Front 
Royal.  General  Torbert  commanded  the  expedition.  Gen 
eral  Devin  commanded  the  First  Division ;  General  Powell, 
the  Second;  and  Colonel  Kellogg,  our  brigade. 

Dec.  20,  1864  Crossed  the  Blue  Ridge  at  Chester  Gap,  marched  by  way 
of  Flint  Hill  and  Washington,  and  camped  for  the  night 
near  Sperryville  on  the  Culpepper  Road.  The  country  was 
hilly,  the  roads  rough,  and  the  weather  extremely  cold. 

144 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H/G.  BONEBRAKE 

Crossed  the  Robertson  River  and  went  into  camp  near     Dec.  21,  1864 
Madison  Court  House.     Snow  and  sleet  fell  all  day.     More 
rough  roads  and  mountainous  country.     This  is  a  banner 
country  for  apple  brandy.     It  flowed  freely  all  day. 

Marched  to  Liberty  Mills  and  met  the  enemy  at  the  Rapi-  Dec-  22«  1864 
dan  River.  Colonel  Kellogg's  brigade  crossed  the  river 
at  White's  Ford,  drove  the  enemy  from  their  position,  cap 
tured  some  prisoners  and  two  pieces  of  artillery.  The  bal 
ance  of  the  command  crossed  the  Rapidan  at  Barrett's 
Ford. 

The  entire  command  advanced  towards  Gordonsville,  find-  Dec.  23,  1864 
ing  the  enemy  strongly  fortified.  The  Seventeenth  Penn 
sylvania  and  the  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry  charged  the 
enemy  dismounted  and  were  repulsed.  The  regiment  lost 
seventeen  men  in  the  charge.  We  retired  during  the  night, 
marched  to  Russell's  Ford,  crossed  the  Robertson  River,  and 
camped  for  a  short  time  only. 

Marched  by  way  of  Culpepper,  Rittersville,  and  Sulphur  Dec.  24,  25,  '64 
Springs,  going  into  camp  near  Warrenton.  The  weather 
v/as  distressingly  cold,  the  roads  icy,  and,  the  shoes  of  the 
horses  becoming  smooth,  many  horses  were  disabled  so  that 
the  dismounted  men  found  it  difficult  to  keep  up  with  the 
column. 

Marched  by  way  of  New  Baltimore  and  White  Plains     Dec.  26,  1864 
and  camped  for  the  night  about  five  miles  from  Middleburg, 
Virginia.    This  day  our  regiment  was  the  extreme  rearguard 
and  we  were  greatly  harassed  by  the  guerrillas  who  were 
hanging  on  our  flanks  and  rear  all  day. 

Marched  by  way  of  Rector's    Cross    Roads,    Carrville,     Dec-  w>  i864 
Upperville,  Paris,  and  Ashby's  Gap,  crossed  the  Shenan- 
doah  River,  and  went  into  camp  at  Millwood.     At  Ash 
by's  Gap  the  column  was  obliged  to  make  a  short  halt  and 
drive  off  the  guerrillas. 

We  experienced  considerable  trouble  in  crossing  the  Dec.  28,  1864 
Opequon  Creek;  the  water  was  very  high.  Reached  Camp 
Russell  near  Winchester  in  the  evening.  We  were  very  glad 
to  get  back.  Received  a  heavy  mail.  A  number  of  com 
missions  and  promotions  awaited  our  return  so  that  there 
v/ere  many  warm  congratulations. 

145 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

Dec.  so,  1864  The  Nineteenth  Corps  moved  four  miles  north  of  Win 
chester  and  went  into  winter  quarters.  The  second  brigade 
of  the  First  Division  of  the  Cavalry  Corps  broke  camp, 
marched  by  way  of  Bunker  Hill  to  Opequon  Bridge  and  en 
camped  for  the  night.  The  First  and  Second  squadrons 
were  detached  from  the  brigade  at  Bunker  Hill  and  marched 
to  Charlestown. 

Dec.  si,  1864  The  brigade  marched  to  Charlestown  where  the  First 
and  Second  Squadrons  of  the  regiment  joined  us ;  march 
ed  by  way  of  Halltown,  Bolivar  and  Harper's  Ferry  and 
went  into  camp  near  Berlin.  Snow  commenced  falling  in 
the  evening  and  continued  until  the  afternoon  of  the  fol 
lowing  day.  Very  cold.  Colonel  Anderson,  accompanied  by 
an  officer  of  the  brigade  staff,  was  looking  for  a  suitable  lo 
cation  for  a  camp  for  winter  quarters. 

CAMP  AT  LOVETTSVILLE. 

Jan.  i,  1863  The  brigade  went  into  camp  near  Lovettsville  in  the  Lou- 
don  Valley  and  was  ordered  to  put  up  winter  quarters. 
(From  January  ist  to  the  Qth  nothing  unusual  is  recorded 
in  the  lieutenant's  diary,  the  time  being  occupied  in  routine 
camp  and  picket  duties  and  the  construction  of  winter 
quarters. 

Jan.  10,  1865  Major  Coe  Durland  with  four  hundred  men,  made  a 
reconnoissance  up  the  valley  as  far  as  Purcellville,  but 
found  no  enemy.  Orders  were  issued  for  the  granting  of 
furloughs. 

oan.  is,  1865  General  P.  H.  Sheridan  visited  the  second  brigade  camp. 
Our  regimental  band  tendered  him  a  serenade  at  headquar 
ters.  Another  reconnoitering  party  was  sent  out  and  re 
turned  without  discovering  the  enemy. 

Jan.  22,  1865  Our  brigade  commander,  General  Thomas  C.  Devin  is 
sued  an  order  that  no  citizens  were  permitted  to  come  in 
to  camp  for  the  purpose  of  marketing.  Lieutenant-colonel 
Anderson  received  his  commission  as  colonel  of  the  regi 
ment.  In  consequence  of  this  promotion,  the  regimental 
band  gave  a  concert  in  the  evening  at  regimental  headquar 
ters. 

146 


EXTRACTS   FROM   DIARY  OF  H.   G.   BONEBRAKE 

Henry  S.  Foote,  a  Confederate  senator  arrived  at  brigade     Jan.  28,  ises 
headquarters  en  route  to  meet  a  secret  peace  commission. 
Many  opinions  were  expressed  as  to  the  outcome  of  such  a 
conference. 

The   Confederate   Peace   Commissioners  passed  through      Feb.  4,  ises 
our  lines  this  evening  on  their  return  trip.     The  men  were 
anxious  to  learn  the  results  of  their  conference,  but  nothing 
definite  could  be  learned. 

A  number  of  new  commissions  were  received  today ;  viz :  Feb.  is,  1865 
Major  Durland  was  commissioned  lieutenant-colonel;  Cap 
tains  Kurtz  and  Thompson  were  commissioned  majors ; 
Lieutenant  Reinhold  was  commissioned  captain  of  Com 
pany  I.  A  scouting  party  of  twenty-five  men,  in  command 
of  Lieutenant  Allen,  went  to  Snickersville  to  drive  off  some 
guerrillas  who  were  reported  located  at  that  place.  No. 
guerrillas  were  found.  Experienced  a  severe  snow  storm. 
Very  cold. 

A  detail  of  two  hundred  men,  in  command  of  Captain     Feb-  16.  ises 
Spera,  escorted  the  brigade  supply  train  to  Harper's  Ferry 
for  supplies.     Another  snow  blizzard  and  very  cold. 

The  return  supply  train  and  escort  were  attacked  by  Feb.  17,  ises 
guerrillas  at  Hillsboro.  Colonel  Anderson  with  about  three 
hundred  men  met  the  train  at  Hillsboro  and  brought  it  to 
camp.  Several  deserters  and  bounty  jumpers  were  executed 
today.  Major  Thompson  celebrated  his  promotion  by  a 
distribution  of  ale  among  the  regimental  officers  which 
seems  to  have  been  the  event  of  the  day. 

Received  orders  to  be  ready  to  break  camp  tomorrow     Feb.  23,  ises 
morning  at  8:30  o'clock.     Destination  unknown. 

JAMES  RIVER  EXPEDITION. 

Our  brigade  broke  camp  this  morning  and  moved  by  way  Feb.  24,  ISGS 
of  Wheatland  and  Hillsboro  and  bivouacked  for  the  night 
about  two  miles  south  of  Harper's  Ferry.  At  this  point  the 
dismounted  and  sick  men  were  placed  in  charge  of  Major 
Spera  and  Lieutenant  Corse  to  be  sent  to  the  dismounted 
camp. 

147 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

Feb.  25,  1865  Brigade  marched  by  way  of  Halltown,  Charlestown  and 
Berryville,  and  went  into  camp  about  two  miles  south  of 
Winchester. 

Feb.  26,  1865  Large  quantities  of  coffee,  sugar  and  salt  were  issued  to 
the  men,  two  days  forage  for  the  horses,  and  eighty  rounds 
of  ammunition.  All  surplus  baggage  which  had  accumulated 
during  our  stay  in  winter  quarters,  was  left  in  camp  in 
charge  of  the  dismounted  men.  This  looks  like  another 
laid. 

Feb.  27,  1865  All  the  mounted  troops  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley  broke 
camp  this  morning  and,  under  command  of  General  Sheri 
dan,  marched  up  the  valley  by  way  of  Newtown,  Middle- 
town  and  Strasburg,  and  bivouacked  for  the  night  at  Wood 
stock. 

Feb.  28,  1865  Marched  by  way  of  Mount  Jackson  and  New  Market, 
and  camped  for  the  night  about  eight  miles  south  of  the 
latter  place.  During  the  day  our  right  flank  was  attacked 
by  a  small  force  of  the  Rebel  cavalry.  We  crossed  the 
Shenandoah  River  on  a  pontoon  bridge. 

Mar.  i,  1865  Marched  by  way  of  Harrisonburg,  Berks  Mill  and  Mount 
Sidney  and  went  into  camp  sorr^e  six  miles  north  of  Staun- 
ton.  Had  several  slight  skirmishes  with  the  Rebel  cavalry. 
Captured  a  number  of  wagons.  We  also  captured  about 
two  hundred  sheep  which  we  drove  along,  and  turned  over 
in  the  evening  to  division  headquarters. 

Mar.  2,  1865  Marched  to  Staunton  and  out  the  Staunton  Road  in  the 
direction  of  Charlottesville.  General  Custer's  division  went 
to  Waynesboro  and  captured  some  twelve  hundred  prisoners, 
several  battle-flags,  and  seven  pieces  of  artillery,  besides 
destroying  upwards  of  one  hundred  wagons.  He  then 
crossed  the  Blue  Ridge  and  camped  near  Greenwood,  while 
cur  division  went  into  camp  near  Fishersville. 

Mar.  3,  1865  Continued  the  march  to  Charlottesville.  Our  brigade 
marched  with  the  wagon  train,  and  because  of  the  heavy 
rains  and  muddy  roads,  experienced  considerable  trouble. 
Several  teams  were  abandoned.  The  dismounted  men  were 
detailed  to  escort  about  thirteen  hundred  prisoners  to  Win 
chester.  We  also  destroyed  the  railroad  bridge,  burned  the 
railroad  station  and  a  number  of  cars  loaded  with  stores. 

148 


EXTRACTS  FROM   DIARY  OF  H.   G.   BONEBRAKE 

Because  of  the  heavy  rains  we  did  not  move  until  3  :oo      Mar.  4,  ISGS 
p.  m.    Marched  via  Ivy  Hill  Station  to  Virginia  University 
and  at  once  commenced  to  tear  up  the  railroad  track  leading 
from  Charlottesville  to  Lynchburg. 

Nearly  all  day  was  devoted  to  tearing  up  the  railroad      Mar-  5>  1865 
track.    In  the  evening  we  had  seven  days'  coffee,  sugar  and 
salt  issued  to  us. 

Marched  to  Scottdale  and  enroute  we  destroyed  mills,  f  ac-      Mar-  6>  1865 
tories  and  locks  in  the  canal.    Much  property  was  destroyed 
this  day.    We  arrived  at  Howardsville,  at  eleven  o'clock  at 
night,  and  went  into  camp. 

The  First  and  Second  Brigades  of  our  division  continued  Mar-  7»  1865 
the  destruction  of  locks  in  the  canal.  Several  storehouses 
were  burned,  also  a  boat  load  of  provisions  was  seized  and 
destroyed.  The  Sixth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  was  sent  to 
Bencreek  to  save  a  bridge  across  the  James  River.  Our 
regiment  marched  to  their  support.  When  we  came  there 
the  bridge  had  been  destroyed.  Marched  to  within  about 
eight  miles  of  New  Market  and  encamped  for  the  night. 

Our  entire  brigade  (second  brigade  of  the  First  Division)  Mar-  8>  1865 
left  camp  about  10:00  a.  m.,  and  marched  by  way  of  How 
ardsville,  Scottsville  and  the  court-house  at  Columbia,  ar 
riving  at  Columbia  the  following  morning  about  daylight. 
The  Sixth  New  York  Cavalry  was  left  at  a  point  between 
Scottsville  and  the  court-house  to  guard  a  bridge  cross 
ing  the  James  River.  Excepting  one  hour  for  supper,  the 
men  were  continuously  in  the  saddle  for  about  twenty  hours, 
thoroughly  drenched  by  a  steady  rain,  while  the  roads  were 
distressingly  muddy.  The  distance  covered  was  fifty-nine 
miles.  The  endurance  of  both  men  and  horses  was  most 
remarkable. 

The  brigade  went  into  camp  at  Columbia  and  immediately  Mar.  9,  ises 
details  were  sent  out  in  different  directions  to  ascertain  if 
there  were  any  Rebels  in  that  vicinity.  There  were  none 
found  on  our  side  of  the  James  River.  We  were  running 
short  of  supplies,  so  several  foraging  details  were  sent  out 
for  subsistence  and  forage.  A  number  of  good  horses  and 
mules  were  brought  into  camp.  In  one  of  these  foraging 

149 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

details,  three  men  of  Company  G  got  too  far  away  from 
their  command  and  were  captured. 

Mar.  10,  1863  All,  excepting  the  men  who  were  on  picket  and  patrol 
duty,  remained  in  camp  at  Columbia  all  day.  Sheridan 
with  the  balance  of  his  command  began  to  arrive  at  Colum 
bia  in  the  evening  and  during  the  night.  During  the  night, 
Captain  English,  with  twenty  men,  secured  some  flatboats, 
crossed  the  river  and  drove  away  the  picket  on  the  opposite 
side.  Went  into  town  and  had  my  boots  mended. 

Mar. -11,  1865  The  brigade  marched  to  Goochland  Court  House,  cap 
tured  eighteen  prisoners  and  destroyed  a  number  of  boats. 
We  returned  to  Columbia  again  during  the  night.  The  dis 
tance  to  Goochland  Court  House  was  about  twenty  miles. 

Mar.  12,  1860  Reveille  was  sounded  at  3  :oo  a.  m.,  but,  our  brigade  did 
not  get  in  line  until  about  sunrise.  Marched  to  Cookoosville 
and  later  crossed  the  North  Anna  River.  Bivouacked  for 
the  night  about  two  and  one-half  miles  south  of  the  Virginia 
Central  Railroad. 

Mar.  13,  1860  Marched  to  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad,  moved  in  the 
direction  of  Beaver  Dam  Station  and  tore  up  about  ten 
miles  of  the  railroad  track.  Went  into  camp  at  Frederick 
Hall  Depot.  The  country  through  which  we  passed  today 
is  poor  and  water  scarce. 

Mar.  14,  1865  We  marched  to  Beaver  Dam  Station  and,  after  destroy 
ing  the  station,  went  into  camp  for  the  night.  The  Third 
Division  reconnoitered  in  the  direction  of  Ashland  Sta 
tion. 

Mar.  is,  1865  Marched  to  the  South  Anna  River  and  thence  to  Chester 
field  Station  where  we  camped  for  the  night. 

Mar.  16,  1865  Marched  to  Monohick  Church  about  ten  miles  from 
Eylettsville  and  camped  for  the  night. 

Mar.  17,  1865  Marched  to  and  encamped  near  King  William  Court 
House.  Captain  English  with  a  detail  of  twenty  men  es 
corted  Colonel  Forsyth  to  White  House  Landing.  Our 
regiment  was  in  the  advance  today. 

Mar.  is,  1865  Marched  to  White  House  Landing.  Our  regiment  march 
ed  in  the  rear  of  the  column.  Received  rations  and  forage. 
Here  we  joined  a  brigade  of  the  Twenty-fourth  Corps. 


EXTRACTS   FROM   DIARY  OF  H.   G.   BONEBRAKE 

The  brigade  crossed  the  York  River  and  went  into  camp.  M»r-  20.  ises 
Had  inspection  of  arms  and  horses.  Quite  a  large  number 
of  horses  were  condemned.  Quartermaster  Bean  of  our 
regiment  was  assigned  to  the  duties  of  post  quartermaster 
at  White  House  Landing.  All  the  condemned  horses  were 
turned  over  to  Lieutenant  Ramsey.  All  the  dismounted  men 
went  into  camp  in  the  rear  of  the  brigade. 

All  the  dismounted  men  of  the  command  were  taken  to  Mar-  21>  1865 
City  Point  on  steamers,  in  charge  of  Colonel  Copinger. 
Major  Kurtz  of  our  regiment  had  charge  of  the  dismounted 
men  of  the  First  Division  and  I  had  charge  of  the  men  of 
our  regiment.  We  left  White  House  Landing  in  the  even 
ing. 

We  were  on  the  boat  for  two  days  and  two  nights.  First  Mar-  22>  23>  >6i 
night  we  passed  Yorktown  and  second  night  Fortress  Mon 
roe.  During  the  afternoon  of  the  23d,  we  experienced  quite 
a  heavy  gale  on  the  James  River.  We  arrived  at  City  Point 
on  the  evening  of  the  23d,  about  nine  o'clock,  and  remain 
ed  on  the  boat  all  night. 

Disembarked,    took   breakfast   at   the    Soldier's    Retreat,     Mar-  24-  1865 
marched  about  half  a  mile  south  of  City  Point  along  the 
river  and  went  into  camp.     Here  we  received  supplies  and 
quartermaster  stores.    During  the  day,  the  dismounted  men 
of  the  Third  Division  joined  us. 

Received  from  Captain  Strong,  A.  Q.  M.,  horses  for  our     Mar.  25,  ises 
brigade. 

More  dismounted  men  arrived  in  our  camp.    Today  Gen-     Mar.  26,  1865 
eral  Sheridan's  command  crossed  the  James  River  at  Deep 
Bottom. 

More  dismounted  men  came  to  our  camp.     Reported  to     Mar.  27,  ises 
cur  regiment  with  such  men  of  our  regiment  as  were  re 
mounted.      Paymaster    Sawyer   was   a   welcome   visitor   in 
our  camp.     The  entire  brigade  received  pay  and  the  men 
wrere  happy. 

Another  detachment  of  remounted  men  of  the  regiment 
reported  for  duty.     Received  my  commission  as  first  lieu-     Mar.  28,  ises 
tenant  of  Company  G. 


EXTRACTS  FROM   DIARY  OF  H.   G.   BONEBRAKE 

THE  FINAL  MOVEMENT. 

Mar.  29,  1865  An  expedition  consisting  of  the  Cavalry  Corps,  the  Fifth 
Infantry  Corps,  with  the  artillery  attached  to  these  com 
mands,  started  on  an  expedition  around  Lee's  left  flank 
under  command  of  General  Sheridan.  The  cavalry  under 
command  of  General  Wesley  Merritt  were  in  the  advance 
and  moved  to  Ream's  Station  and  thence  to  Dinwiddie 
Court  House  where  we  went  into  camp. 

Mar.  so,  1865  Portions  of  the  Second  Brigade  of  the  First  Division  had 
an  engagement  with  the  enemy.  Our  regiment  did  picket 
duty  about  two  and  one-half  miles  north  of  Dinwiddie 
Court  House.  Heavy  rains  and  soft  roads. 

Mar.  si,  1865  The  regiment  was  relieved  from  picket  duty  by  the  First 
U.  S.  Cavalry.  Joined  the  brigade  and  formed  in  line  of 
battle  dismounted  between  Dinwiddie  Court  House  and 
Stony  Creek.  General  Davis's  division  on  our  left  was 
driven  back  and  our  brigade  was  hurried  to  its  support. 
The  Rebels  flanked  us  and  we  were  driven  near  the  court 
house.  Lieutenant  Stanley  Mitchell,  and  Sergeant-major 
James  Brennan  are  missing;  Lieutenant  Chamberlain  and 
Sergeant  Horton  wounded;  and  a  number  of  men  cap 
tured.  Our  casualties  were  heavy. 

Apr.  i,  1865  The  First  Cavalry  Division  took  a  position  between  the 
Third  Cavalry  Division  and  the  Fifth  Corps.  Our  division 
took  two  lines  of  breastworks  and  captured  about  six  hun 
dred  prisoners  and  two  battle-flags.  The  cavalry  and  in 
fantry  together  captured  over  five  thousand  prisoners,  .eight 
pieces  of  artillery  and  a  number  of  battle-flags.  I  had 
the  good  fortune  to  capture  a  Rebel  flag.  Captains  Ham, 
English,  Donehoo,  and  Lieutenant  Anglun  were  wounded. 
Sergeants  Miller  of  Company  G,  McPherson  of  B  and 
Flicking  of  E,  all  well  known  in  the  regiment,  were  killed. 
The  list  of  wounded  is  the  largest  the  regiment  ever  had 
in  one  day.  General  Sheridan  relieved  General  Warren 
from  the  command  of  the  Fifth  Corps  for  not  coming  to 
the  support  of  the  cavalry  in  time. 

Apr.  2,  1865  We  advanced  to  the  Southside  Railroad,  destroyed  about 
a  mile  of  the  railroad  tracks  and  then  pushed  forward  in 
the  direction  of  Appomattox.  Had  a  spirited  engagement  in 

152 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.   BONEBRAKE 

the  evening.  The  regiment  had  several  men  killed  and  a 
number  wounded.  The  entire  command  captured  about 
three  thousand  prisoners. 

The  cavalry  marched  to  the  left  about  fifteen  miles  and       APF-  3>  1865 
met  with  but  little  opposition.     We  picked  up  many  strag 
gling  'Rebels  during  the  day  and  passed  many  caissons  and 
wagons  abandoned  by  the  enemy. 

The  First  Division  marching  toward  the  left,  made  a  di-       Apr.  4,  ISGS 
version  at  Deep  Creek  Bridge.     We  had  a  brisk  skirmish 
about  10  a.  m.     Marched  to  Burkeville  where  we  met  the 
Second  Corps. 

The  cavalry  marched  to  the  position  held  by  the  Fifth  Apr.  5>  1865 
Corps.  Detachments  were  sent  out  in  different  directions 
to  ascertain  the  whereabouts  of  the  enemy.  About  one 
thousand  prisoners  were  brought  in  by  these  detachments. 
We  marched  to  near  Jettersville  Station,  where  a  short  halt 
was  made. 

Got  possession  of  the  Danville  Railroad.     The  cavalry       APF-  6»  1865 
and  infantry  this  day    captured    about     twelve     thousand 
prisoners,  many  pieces  of  artillery,  and  destroyed  several 
large  wagon  trains.  Some  eight  or  ten  generals  were  cap 
tured.     We  camped  for  the  night  near  Rice's  Station. 

We  crossed  the  Southside  Railroad  at  Rice's  Station,  Apr.  7,  ises 
marched  to  Prince  Edward  Court  House,  and  thence,  about 
five  miles  west,  where  we  went  into  camp.  Near  Prince 
Edward  Court  House  we  captured  a  Rebel  major-gen 
eral  and  about  sixty  men.  We  crossed  the  Appomattox 
River  at  High  Bridge. 

Marched  to  Prospect  Station  where  we  connected  with      Apr.  s,  ises 
the  Twenty-fourth  Corps.     The  Cavalry  Corps  marched  to 
Appomattox   Station,   where  we   captured    several    supply 
trains,  some  forty  pieces  of  artillery,  and  a  large  number 
of  prisoners. 

Early  in  the  morning,  McKenzie's  division  of  the  Cav-       Apr.  9,  ISGS 
airy  Corps  advanced  on  the  enemy's  lines  and  was  driven 
back   on   our   infantry   support.      The   cavalry   were   then 
massed  on  the  enemy's  right  flank  preparatory  to  making 
a   flank  assault.     About  eight  o'clock  a.  m.,   General  Lee 

153 


EXTRACTS  FROM  DIARY  OF  H.  G.  BONEBRAKE 

sent  a  flag  of  truce  to  negotiate  with  General  Grant  for 
the  surrender  of  his  army. 

Apr.  10,  1865  The  cavalry  inarched  to  Clover  Hill,  thence  to  Prospect 
Station  and  went  into  camp  for  the  night. 

Apr.  11,  1865  Crossed  Sockett's  Creek  at  Prospect  Mill,  passed  Prince 
Edward  Court  House,  and  went  into  camp  near  Rice's 
Station. 

Apr.  12,  ises  Marched  to  Burkeville  Junction  where  we  went  into 
camp  and  were  furnished  with  much  needed  supplies. 

Apr.  is,  1865  The  Cavalry  Corps  marched  to  Nottaway  Court  House. 
The  captors  of  Rebel  flags  took  the  train  at  Burkeville  and 
v\ent  to  City  Point,  where  we  arrived  about  ten  o'clock  at 
night. 

Apr.  14,  1865  At  eight  o'clock  a.  m.  we  embarked  on  the  Steamer  Geo. 
Leary  and  arrived  at  Fortress  Monroe  at  three  p.  m.  There 
were  fifty-one  men  with  as  many  Rebel  flags  which  we  dis 
played  on  the  deck  of  the  steamer.  The  garrison  cheered  us 
greatly. 

Apr.  15,  1865  We  arrived  at  Washington  at  7  130  a.  m.  I  stopped  at  the 
St.  Charles  Hotel.  Here  I  met  Lieutenant  Stanley  L.  Mit 
chell,  of  our  regiment.  Last  night  President  Lincoln  was 
assassinated  at  Fiord's  Theater.  An  attempt  was  made  to 
assassinate  Secretary  Seward  at  his  private  home.  The 
greatest  excitement  prevails  in  the  city.  President  Lincoln 
died  this  morning  at  7  :22. 

Apr.  16,  ises  Lieutenant  Stanley  L.  Mitchell  left  Washington  to  join 
the  regiment. 

Apr.  is,  ises  The  public  is  permitted  to  view  the  remains  of  President 
Lincoln.  I  saw  his  body  at  12  130  p.  m.  The  crowd  to  view 
the  remains  is  immense. 

Apr.  19,  is65       Funeral  services  for  President  Lincoln. 

The  people  are  still  viewing  the  remains  of  President  Lin 
coln  in  the  Capitol. 

Apr.  20,  ises  At  8  a.  m.  the  remains  of  President  Lincoln  were  taken  to 
Baltimore,  Md.,  the  first  stopping  place  on  the  long  journey 
to  the  burial  place,  Springfield,  111. 


154 


H.   G.    CoNEBRAKE. 

Lieutenant,  Company  G,  Waynesboro,  Pa. 


HENRY   G.  BONEBRAKE. 

FIRST  LIEUTENANT  COMPANY  G,  WAYNESBORO,  PA. 

Lieutenant  Henry  G.  Bonebrake  was  born  near  Waynes- 
boro,  Franklin  county,  Pennsylvania,  June  21,  1838.  His 
early  life  was  spent  on  the  farm  with  his  father  in  the 
vicinity  of  Waynesboro,  Pa.  On  September  8,  1862,  he 
went  to  the  office  of  Michael  H.  Stoner,  a  justice  of  the 
peace  in  Waynesboro,  and  signed  the  muster  roll  of  the 
Waynesboro  Cavalry,  then  being  recruited  in  Franklin 
county,  and  later  became  one  of  the  chief  promoters  of  the 
company.  When  the  company  was  permanently  organized 
he  was  elected  first  sergeant  of  the  company  and  served  in 
that  capacity  until  December  15,  1864,  when  he  was  com 
missioned  second  lieutenant.  On  January  14,  1865,  he  was 
commissioned  first  lieutenant  of  the  company.  From  the 
day  the  company  was  mustered  into  the  United  States  ser 
vice,  September  26,  1862,  until  the  day  of  his  muster  out 
of  the  service,  June  21,  1865,  he  had  a  continuous  service 
record  with  the  company. 

On  October  n,  1863,  during  the  engagement  at  Stephens- 
burg,  Virginia,  his  horse  was  shot  on  the  skirmish  line.  He, 
with  Comrade  Aaron  Harman  who  was  also  dismounted  at 
the  time,  was  cut  off  from  the  company  and  experienced 
great  difficulty  in  crossing  a  swollen  stream  in  their  rear. 
WThile  emerging  from  the  stream  on  the  opposite  side,  they 
were  greeted  with  a  volley  of  Rebel  bullets  and  he  received 
a  slight  wound.  On  December  23,  1864,  in  the  mounted 
charge  near  Gordonsville,  Virginia,  his  horse  was  again  shot 
from  under  him,  receiving  two  bullet  wounds,  and  was 
killed.  On  April  i,  1865,  at  the  battle  of  Five  Forks,  Virgin 
ia,  while  charging  the  enemy's  breastworks,  Lieutenant 
Bonebrake  and  Comrade  William  Cummings  were  the  first 
to  leap  over  the  breastworks.  Seeing  a  Rebel  battery  flag, 
he  made  a  dash  for  it,  but  failed  in  the  attempt  to  capture 
it.  A  short  distance  to  the  right  was  another  Confederate 
color-bearer  who  was  enthusiastically  waving  his  flag 
and  urging  his  comrades  to  stand  by  the  colors.  While  the 
color  bearer's  attention  was  principally  directed  to  the  as- 

155 


HENRY  G.  BONEBRAKE 

sault  in  his  immediate  front,  Lieutenant  Bonebrake  rushed 
to  his  side,  grasped  his  colors  and  demanded  his  surrender- 
A  hand  to  hand  struggle  followed  and  he  succeeded  in  cap 
turing  the  flag. 

For  this  distinguished  and  meritorious  act  he  was  one  of 
fifty-one  who,  having  captured  Confederate  flags,  presented 
in  person  their  trophies  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  the  Hon 
orable  Edwin  M.  Stanton,  receiving  his  warm  personal  con 
gratulations.  All  who  presented  Confederate  flags  on  that 
occasion  were  granted  a  thirty  days'  furlough.  In  further 
recognition  of  his  distinguished  bravery,  he  received  from 
the  War  Department,  May  5,  1865,  a  medal  of  honor  for 
conspicuous  bravery  in  the  battle  of  Five  Forks,  Virginia, 
April  i,  1865,  together  with  the  following  letter: 

WAR  DEPARTMENT. 

ADJUTANT  GENERAL'S  OFFICE, 
WASHINGTON,  D.  C,  MAY  3,  1865. 
Lieutenant  H.  G.   Bonebrake,  Company  G,   Seventeenth  Regiment, 

Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry. 

Sir :  Herewith  I  enclose  the  medal  of  honor  which  has  been 
awarded  you  under  the  resolution  of  Congress,  approved  July  12, 
1862 :  To  provide  for  the  presentation  of  medals  of  honor  to  the 
enlisted  men  of  the  army  and  volunteer  forces  who  have  distin 
guished  or  may  distinguish  themselves  in  battle  during  the  present 
rebellion.  Please  acknowledge  the  receipt. 
Very  respectfully, 

Your  obedient  servant, 

W.  A.  NICHOLS, 
Assistant  Adjutant  General. 

An  act  of  Congress  approved  April  23,  1904,  provided 
for  the  issue  of  a  medal.  The  first  was  of  bronze,  the 
latter  of  silver  heavily  electrotyped  in  gold.  It  is  much 
handsomer  than  the  old  medal.  The  new  medal  was  re 
ceived  by  Lieutenant  Bonebrake  on  Memorial  Day,  May  30, 
1905.  Lieutenant  Bonebrake  prizes  these  medals  very  high 
ly  and  regards  them  as  rare  souvenirs  to  hand  down  to  his 
posterity.  Lieutenant  Bonebrake  was  regularly  mustered 
out  of  the  United  States  service,  with  his  company,  at 
Clouds  Mills,  Virginia,  in  obedience  to  General  Order  No. 
312,  War  Department,  June  16,  1865. 

156 


MEDAL  OF  HONOR. 
Lieutenant  H.  G.  Bonebrake,  Waynesboro,  Pa. 


1 


... 


JOHN  H.  ZTNX. 
Private,   Company   V,   Akron,   Ohio. 


THROUGH    CONFEDERATE    PRISONS    AND 
HOME  AGAIN. 

BY  JOHN   H.  ZINN,  PRIVATE  COMPANY  F,  AKRON,  OHIO. 

In  the  following  pages  I  purpose  to  give  a  brief  narra 
tive  of  a  part  of  my  army  experience  during  the  Civil  War. 
When  the  spring  campaign  of  1862  had  clearly  demonstrated 
that  more  men  were  needed  to  crush  the  Rebellion,  and 
when  President  Abraham  Lincoln  issued  his  call  for  300,- 
coo  more  volunteers,  on  July  i,  1862,  I  doffed  the  garb  of 
a  citizen  and  donned  the  blue.  The  prime  object  for  do 
ing  so  was,  because  when  my  native  country  which  pro 
tected  my  right  as  an  American  citizen,  not  only  in  my  own, 
but  in  foreign  lands  wherever  the  American  flag  is  un 
furled,  was  threatened  with  dissolution,  I  could  no  longer 
stand  idly  by  and  see  traitors  attempt  to  disrupt  the  best 
government  the  world  has  ever  known.  And  so  I  joined 
the  chorus  of  "We  are  coming,  Father  Abraham,  300,000 
strong."  In  the  regular  order  that  companies  and  regiments 
were  recruited,  I  became  a  member  of  company  F,  of  the 
Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry, 
and  later  became  identified  with  the  First  Division,  Second 
Brigade  Cavalry  Corps,  serving  with  the  armies  of  the  Po 
tomac  and  of  the  Shenandoah  Valley  until  the  close  of  the 
war.  Let  this  suffice  as  an  introduction  to  my  subject, 

"THROUGH  CONFEDERATE  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN/' 

_I  will  preface  my  story  with  the  circumstances  of  my 
capture.  Early  in  the  month  of  August,  1864,  the  First 
and  Second  Divisions  of  the  Cavalry  Corps  were  transferred 
from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  the  Army  of  the  Shenan 
doah  Valley.  It  was  freely  rumored  at  that  time  that  the 
Confederate  army  was  receiving  supplies  from  the  fertile 
valleys  of  Shenandoah  and  Loudon;  that  the  wheat  crops 
of  those  valleys  had  been  threshed  and  were  being  trans 
ported  south.  Some  of  the  boys  remarked,  "Well,  if  the 
Johnnies  are  doing  the  threshing,  we  will  do  the  winnow- 

11— 17th  R. 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

ing."  But  this  work  of  winnowing  was  not  always  the 
most  pleasant  thing  to  do,  for  frequently  the  wind  blew  in 
the  wrong  direction.  Conditions  in  these  two  valleys  fre 
quently  changed.  This  was  especially  true  as  to  the  con 
stant  changes  that  obtained  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 
Positions  that  were  gained  one  day  were  lost  the  next.  This 
was  so  of  both  the  Union  and  Confederate  armies.  Now 
there  was  advancing,  then  retreating.  Now  we  drove  the 
enemy  up  the  valley,  and  then  they  would  drive  us  back 
again.  The  residents  of  these  valleys  were  very  much  har 
assed  by  both  armies.  So  far  as  their  losses  were  con 
cerned,  it  made  very  little  difference  whether  they  were 
friends  or  foes,  they  suffered  the  same. 

In  the  Shenandoah  Valley  followed,  in  rapid  succession, 
defeats  and  victories  on  both  sides.  The  most  disastrous 
defeats  of  the  Union  army  were  those  of  General  Franz 
Sigel  and  General  Robert  H.  Milroy.  The  most  disastrous 
defeats  of  the  Confederate  army  were  the  battles  of  Win 
chester  and  Cedar  Creek.  The  last  battle  in  which  I  was 
engaged  was  the  battle  of  Winchester,  September  19,  1864. 
While  our  regiment  did  not  participate  in  the  fight  until  in 
the  afternoon,  the  fight  was  opened  early  in  the  morning, 
by  General  G.  A.  Custer,  on  the  left  of  the  line.  The  en 
gagement  soon  became  general,  increasing  in  intensity  hour 
after  hour,  the.  enemy  stubbornly  resisting  every  inch  of 
ground.  Our  division  had  been  massed  on  the  extreme  right 
of  the  Union  line  and,  at  a  given  signal,  made  a  vigorous 
assault  and  charged  the  left  flank  of  the  Confederate  line, 
driving  the  enemy  through  Winchester  like  a  whirlwind, 
capturing  a  number  of  battle-flags  and  a  number  of  prison 
ers.  Night  coming  on  prevented  our  further  pursuit.  If 
ever  there  was  a  day  in  the  history  of  the  regiment  that  the 
boys  desired  a  few  more  hours  of  daylight  to  finish  the  job, 
it  was  this  memorable  iQth  day  of  September,  1864.  On 
the  following  morning,  September  2oth,  the  regiment  was 
ordered  to  report  to  Colonel  E.  O.  Edwards,  provost  mar 
shal  of  Winchester,  for  provost  duty.  The  duty  assigned 
was  a  very  responsible  and  hazardous  one.  It  was  in  the 
rear  of  General  Sheridan V  army  that  Mosby's  guerrillas 

158 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

were  most  active,  prowling  through  the  country,  attacking 
details  of  men  who  were  usually  unable  to  cope  with  them 
in  point  of  numbers.  The  tactics  usually  employed  by  these 
guerrillas  was  to  lie  in  ambush  at  some  suitable  point  along 
the  highway,  watch  for  a  favorable  opportunity  and  rush 
upon  these  details  unexpectedly,  just  as  a  lion  would  spring 
upon  his  prey. 

On  the  24th  day  of  September,  1864,  an  order  came  to 
our  regimental  headquarters  for  a  special  detail,  to  report  to 
the  provost  marshall.  Being  the  regimental  clerk  I  saw  the 
order,  and  being  desirous  to  accompany  the  detail,  I  asked 
permission  of  Major  Coe  Durland  to  do  so.  My  request 
was  granted.  Captain  James  Ham,  of  Company  M,  was  in 
charge  of  the  detail.  The  captain  reported  with  his  men, 
and  received  secret  instructions.  No  one  of  the  detail  but 
Captain  Ham  knew  what  his  orders  were.  Indeed,  it  was 
never  supposed  that  the  rank  and  file  should  know  what  was 
the  purpose  of  their  superiors.  The  duty  of  the  enlisted 
men  was  to  obey  orders  without  asking  any  whys  or  where 
fores.  We  were  ordered  to  report  light  mounted,  carrying 
only  carbines,  sabres  and  revolvers.  The  detail  started  on  its 
mission.  I  soon  discovered  that  the  captain  moved  cau 
tiously  as  though  expecting  to  meet  the  enemy.  He  ordered 
two  men  to  ride  some  little  distance  on  the  flanks  of  the 
column,  one  on  each  side,  with  instructions  to  keep  a  sharp 
lookout  for  guerrillas.  About  ten  miles  out  from  Winches 
ter,  we  came  to  a  beautiful  green  lane  that  turned  to  the 
right.  At  this  point  the  command  halted.  Two  additional 
vedettes  were  thrown  out,  one  on  our  right,  the  other  on 
our  left,  at  about  four  hundred  yards  distance.  On  the  one 
side  was  an  open  field  and  on  the  other  was  a  woods  with 
a  deep  ravine  intervening.  A  house  stood  obliquely  to  our 
right,  half  hidden  by  trees.  The  lieutenant  and  four  men 
were  ordered  to  this  house,  and  immediately  galloped  down 
the  lane.  The  lieutenant  had  received  secret  orders  from 
the  captain.  I  never  learned  what  they  were.  A  consider 
able  time  having  elapsed,  and  they  not  returning,  the  cap 
tain  ordered  a  sergant  to  take  command  of  the  detail,  while 
he  with  an  orderly,  galloped  down  towards  the  house. 

159 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

They  had  hardly  disappeared  out  of  our  sight  when  we 
heard  the  report  of  a  shot  to  our  left.  Looking  in  the  di 
rection  from  whence  it  came,  we  saw  our  vedette  running 
across  the  field,  dismounted.  His  horse  was  shot  and  he 
himself  was  wounded  in  the  shoulder.  The  sergeant  im 
mediately  gave  the  command  to  fall  in,  but  before  we  had 
time  to  form  in  line,  in  fact,  in  less  time  that  it  takes  to  tell 
what  happened,  the  guerrillas  were  upon  us  in  superior  num 
bers,  fired  a  volley  into  our  ranks,  killing  several  of  our  men, 
and  captured  the  remainder  excepting  two  men,  who,  in 
some  way,  made  their  escape.  The  captain,  the  lieutenant 
and  the  two  men  who  had  accompanied  them  to  the  house 
referred  to,  not  being  with  the  detail  at  the  time  of  the 
surprise,  escaped.  They  were  followed  by  several  of  the 
guerrillas,  but  I  learned  later  that  they  failed  to  overtake 
them.  While  the  guerrillas  were  charging  upon  us  I  dis 
charged  my  carbine  and  then  reached  for  my  revolver,  but, 
before  I  had  time  to  use  it,  a  Johnnie  Reb  had  covered  me 
with  his  revolver  with  a  command  to  surrender.  This  com 
mand  was  followed  with  a  number  of  pet  names,  more  than 
I  care  to  enumerate  at  this  time.  He  had  a  wonderful  vo 
cabulary  from  which  he  drew.  They  were  all  adjectives  of 
the  most  emphatic  kind. 

When  he  commanded  me  to  surrender  with  his  revolver 
pointed  in  my  face,  there  was  nothing  else  to  do  but  to 
obey  orders.  Of  course  there  was  considerable  confusion 
and  commotion  at  the  time,  but  I  was  surprised  when  my 
captor  failed  to  disarm  me  at  once.  I  expected  the  first 
thing  after  my  surrender  would  be  to  demand  my  revolver, 
my  carbine  having  dropped  out  of  my  hands  whilst  my  sabre 
was  in  my  scabbard.  On  the  contrary,  the  first  thing  my 
captor  demanded  was  my  pocketbook.  I  may  have  been  a 
little  slow,  so  he  insisted  that  I  should  hurry  up.  "Fork  it 
over.  Fork  it  over,"  he  repeated.  These  fellows  somehow 
had  learned  to  love  the  greenbacks,  even  if  they  did  hate  the 
government  that  issued  them.  I  complied  with  his  demand, 
but,  after  he  had  opened  the  pocketbook  and  discovered  that 
it  contained  less  than  one  dollar,  the  expression  on  his 
face  indicated  to  me  that  he  was  mortified  and  chagrined. 

160 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

The  pocketbook  contained,  however,  the  photographs  of 
my  sainted  wife  and  child  which  I  prized  very  highly  and 
which  I  was  very  reluctant  to  part  with.  I  politely  asked 
him  to  return  them  to  me.  He  promised  me  he  would,  and 
the  same  evening  he  made  good  his  promise. 

As  soon  as  we  were  captured  we  were  hurried  away  in 
the  direction  of  the  Shenandoah  River.  Several  of  the 
men  were  badly  wounded  and,  because  of  the  hurried  march, 
suffered  greatly.  I  assured  my  captors  there  was  no  danger 
of  an  attempt  being  made  to  recapture  us,  as  there  were  no 
other  troops  in  the  vicinity,  but  they  were  not  disposed  to 
take  any  chances,  but  hurried  us  along  as  fast  as  possible 
until  we  had  crossed  the  Shenandoah.  The 'Johnnies  were 
very  much  elated  over  their  successful  capture.  After  we 
had  crossed  the  river,  frequent  expressions  were  made, 
"Now  we  are  safe.  Now  we  are  safe."  I  felt  that  I  was 
safe  too.  I  mean,  safe  in  their  hands.  We  continued  the 
march,  however,  at  a  slower  pace,  and,  late  in  the  afternoon, 
halted  for  a  short  rest  at  a  place  that  I  at  once  recalled  as 
having  seen  before.  It  was  during  the  time  that  we  passed 
through  ithe  Loudon  Valley  destroying  the  crops  and  driv 
ing  off  the  cattle  to  prevent  them  being  used  for  the  support 
of  Mosby's  guerrillas. 

A  short  distance  from  the  road  where  we  were  stopping  I 
saw  the  very  house  to  which  I  had  gone  and  found  some  oats 
which  I  appropriated  for  the  use  of  my  horse.  I  was  in 
tercepted  by  an  old  man  who  bitterly  complained  to  me  of 
the  cruelties  of  the  war.  He  said,  "I  am  old  now  and  the 
work  of  a  life  time  is  gone.  I  was  always  a  Union  man  and 
opposed  secession,  but  Virginia  went  out  of  the  Union  and 
I  am  helpless."  I  sympathized  with  him  because  he  claimed 
to  be  a  Union  man,  but  consoled  him  and  said  to  him, — "If 
you  can  substantiate  what  you  just  now  told  me  as  to  your 
loyalty,  when  the  war  is  over,  the  government  will  no  doubt 
reimburse  you  for  your  loss.  But  if  you  are  a  Rebel  or 
have  Rebel  sympathies  you  need  expect  nothing." 

While  we  were  thus  halted  by  the  wayside,  this  same  old 
gentleman  came  to  the  road  to  see  us.  He  addressed  him 
self  to  the  Johnnies  and  said. — "Where  did  you  catch  all 

161 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

these  Yankees?"  He  was  told,  at  Summit  Point.  "Good 
good!  I  wish  you  would  catch  all  of  them,  for  they  are 
nothing  but  Lincoln  hirelings,  barn-burners  and  chicken 
thieves!"  Then  turning  to  us  he  said.  "It  is  well  enough 
that  you  fell  into  the  hands  of  these  boys,  for,  had  you  fallen 
into  my  hands,  I  would  have  put  the  daylight  through  some 
of  you."  Turning  again  to  the  Johnny  Rebs  he  continued. 
"Boys,  if  I  were  as  young  as  your  are,  it  would  be  my  de 
light  to  shoot  Yankees  from  morning  till  night.  But  I  am 
too  old  to  go  to  the  front;  my  eyes  are  somewhat  dimmed 
and  my  hands  are  unsteady,  but,  I  believe  that  with  my  old 
flint  lock  and  a  good  rest,  I  could  fetch  a  Yankee  yet.  Ha ! 
ha!  ha!" 

I  said  to  myself,  "You  old,  miserable,  Rebel  hypocrite !  If 
I  were  free  I  would  teach  you  a  lesson  on  morals !"  But  I 
realized  that,  just  at  that  time  it  might  have  caused  a  little 
unpleasantness  to  assume  the  role  of  an  instructor.  So  I 
pulled  my  .hat  down  over  my  eyes,  as  I  did  not  care,  just 
at  that  time,  to  have  him  know  that  we  had  met  before. 
While  there  were,  no  doubt,  some  Union  men  in  that  sec 
tion  of  Virginia,  from  such  information  and  observation  as 
I  was  able  to  obtain,  in  my  opinion,  they  were  few  and  far 
between.  I  think  the  above  description  is  a  fair  sample  of 
the  sentiment  that  prevailed  among  the  large  majority  of 
the  citizens  of  that  section  of  country.  They  were  citizens 
in  day  time  and  guerrillas  at  night,  and  Union  men  and  loyal 
to  the  government  only  when  the  boys  in  blue  were  around. 
We  stopped  only  for  a  short  time  at  this  place,  and  fearing 
that  this  old  gentleman  might  detect  me  as  having  been  to 
his  house  before,  I  was  glad  when  the  column  moved  on. 

Our  next  stopping  place  was  Paris,  a  small  village.  Here 
we  were  met  by  about  fifty  other  guerrillas  who  seemed 
very  much  excited  about  something,  the  cause  of  which  I 
could  not  find  out.  Their  attitude  to  us  as  prisoners,  to  say 
the  least,  alarmed  me.  Threats  of  hanging  and  shooting 
were  too  freely  indulged  in  for  real  comfort.  Just  then  I 
did  not  feel  quite  as  safe  as  I  did  after  we  had  crossed  the 
Shenandoah  River  shortly  after  our  capture.  Our  stay  in 
Paris  was  of  but  short  duration,  and  right  glad  was  I  when 

162 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

we  were  ordered  to  continue  the  march.  After  leaving  the 
town  we  ascended  a  steep  hill  and  then,  turning  to  the  left, 
we  entered  a  field  where  we  camped  for  the  night.  Our 
horses  were  unsaddled  and  unbridled  and  left  run  loose 
in  the  field.  Before  lying  down  we  rendered  such  service  to 
our  wounded  as  was  possible  under  the  circumstances.  I 
was  appointed  surgeon-in-chief,  but  never  having  had  any 
hospital  training,  with  no  medicine,  no  surgical  instruments, 
and  with  several  wounded  men  on  my  hands,  my  new  posi 
tion  as  medical  director  in  chief  presented  difficulties  which 
can  be  better  imagained  then  described. 

Among  the  wounded  was  an  Irishman  who  was  shot  in 
one  of  his  ankles.  His  foot  was  so  badly  swollen  that  it  was 
almost  impossible  to  remove  his  boot.  The  operation  of  re 
moving  it  was  exceedingly  painful  to  him.  He  would  cry 
out,  "Ouch !  ouch !  ouch !  you'll  have  me  entirely  killed  be 
fore  you  get  through  with  me."  "Well  Pat,"  says  I.  "If  you 
cannot  endure  the  pain,  I  must  desist;  but  surely  I  can 
not  treat  your  ankle  as  long  as  you  have  your  boot  on !"  He 
said,  "Go  on  wid  you !"  After  several  more  efforts  the  boot 
was  finally  removed,  when  the  Irishman  shouted  his  bene 
dictions  upon  me.  He  said,  "God  bless  the  surgeon-in- 
chief." 

We  lay  down  to  sleep,  but  no  sleep  came  to  us.  Many  a 
time  since  have  I  thought  that  if  we  had  been  in  the  jungles 
of  Africa  we  would  not  have  been  more  thoroughly  pro 
tected  from  the  wild  beasts,  so  carefully  were  we  guarded. 
I  have  since  thought,  too,  that  we*  did  not  appreciate  their 
tender  care  and  vigilance  in  having  two  men  walk  around 
us  all  night.  The  following  morning  our  horses  were 
caught,  saddled  and  bridled,  by  our  attendants ;  this  too  was 
a  new  experience.  How  kind  on  the  part  of  our 
captors  to  groom  and  feed  our  horses  and  have  them 
ready  for  us  to  start!  I  took  in  the  situation  as  best  I 
could.  I  made  up  my  mind,  there  and  then,  that  I  would 
fight  death  at  every  step,  and  that  I  would  not  die  on  south 
ern  soil,  if  it  was  in  my  power  to  prevent  it.  T  inherited  a 
strong  and  robust  constitution,  I  possessed  strong  will 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

power,  and  being  optimistic,  I  trusted  in  God  and  hoped  to 
surmount  all  obstacles  that  might  lie  in  my  way. 

We  descended  the  hill  and  were  halted  at  a  house  where 
we  were  served  with  breakfast.  Not  having  had  anything 
to  eat  since  we  were  captured,  we  were  ready  for  our  rations. 
To  our  surprise  we  were  premitted  to  sit  down  to  a  fairly 
well  supplied  table,  and  we  did  justice  to  the  occasion.  The 
family  consisted  of  four  persons,  husband,  wife,  son  and 
daughter.  I  do  not  now  remember  that  any  remarks  were 
made  by  the  male  portion  of  the  house  concerning  us,  but 
the  mother  and  daughter  were  unstinted  in  maligning  the 
North  and  her  soldiers.  The  mother  addressed  herself 
principally  to  me.  After  viewing  me  over  from  head  to 
foot,  she  said.  "Well,  I  perceive  you  are  a  full-fledged 
Yankee  soldier.  I  replied  in  the  affirmative.  "You  call  us 
rebels/'  I  replied,  "Just  so!"  the  lady  said.  "I  want  you 
to  understand  that  we  are  no  rebels,  but  we  are  only  right 
ing  for  our  rights,  our  homes,  and  our  firesides."  She  ask 
ed  me  what  State  I  was  from  and  what  my  occupation  was. 
When  I  told  her  I  was  from  Pennsylvania  and  that  I  was 
a  public  school  teacher  by  profession,  she  laughed  and 
said.  "  I  just  thought  you  were  some  northern  teacher  or 
preacher.  You  are  all  a  set  of  black  abolitionists,  and  if  I 
had  my  own  way  about  it,  not  a  single  northern  teacher  or 
preacher  would  be  permitted  to  put  his  foot  on  Virginia  soil. 
The  North  will  never  conquer  the  South,  Never !  never ! 
never !  We  have  separated  from  the  northern  abolitionists, 
we  have  formed  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  and 
we  are  determined  to  be  an  independent  and  separate  peo 
ple."  Of  course  I  was  not  in  a  position  to  express  my  views 
as  freely  as  she  did  hers. 

The  command  was  given  to  fall  in,  and  so,  after  thanking 
the  lady  most  cordially  for  her  kind  hospitality,  I  said 
good-bye.  The  next  stopping  place  was  Piedmont  on  the 
Manassas  Gap  Railroad.  Here  our  horses  were  taken  from 
us  and  we  became  dismounted  cavalry.  In  this  small  moun 
tain  town  there  were  gathered  about  fifty  or  more  guerrillas. 
As  we  came  into  the  town  they  at  once  gathered  around 
us,  seeming  very  much  exercised  and  excited.  We  were 

164 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

marched  a  short  distance  outside  of  the  town,  into  an  open 
field  where  we  were  detained  for  some  time.  We  were 
soon  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  citizens  and  a  number  of 
the  guerrillas.  I  mustered  sufficient  courage  to  ask  one  of 
our  guards  why  we  were  detained  and  what  was  the  cause 
of  the  intense  excitement  that  prevailed.  .The  guard  said. 
"I  guess  two  of  you  fellows  will  be  shot  before  we  leave  this 
place."  I  asked  the  reason  why.  He  said.  "Two  of  our  men 
were  executed  yesterday  at  Front  Royal  under  the  direction 
of  General  Custer  and  we  intend  to  retaliate."  It  was  true. 
General  Custer  had  hanged  two  of  their  men,  but  that  was  in 
retaliation  for  what  had  been  done  to  two  of  our  prisoners 
before. 

After  some  deliberation  the  execution  was  postponed,  and 
I  was  told  by  the  guard,  afterwards,  that  the  reason  was 
because  we  were  all  Pennsylvanians, — that  they  had  deter 
mined  as  the  men  who  had  hanged  their  men,  were  from 
Michigan,  they  would  wait  until  they  would  get  some  Michi 
gan  soldiers  belonging  to  General  Custer's  command  before 
they  would  carry  their  threats  into  execution.  We  were 
all  very  glad  when  we  were  taken  away  from  this  vicious 
crowd. 

Our  next  stopping-place  was  at  some  crossroad,  the  name 
of  which  I  cannot  now  recall.  The  place  consisted  of  a 
hotel,  store  and  several  houses.  Evidently  our  coming  had 
been  heralded  in  advance  as  a  goodly  number  of  citizens  had 
gathered,  principally  ladies.  There  were,  however,  also 
about  a  dozen  of  Mosby's  guerrillas  present.  Here  we  did 
some  trading.  I  always  had  supposed  it  required  at  least 
two  persons  to  make  a  bargain  in  trading.  Here  it  was 
different.  They  made  their  own  terms,  and  we  had  to  ac 
cept  them.  I  had  a  practically  new  hat  which  I  traded  even 
for  an  old  one.  Boots,  shoes  and  various  kinds  of  clothing 
were  traded  with  a  freedon  and  familiarity  that  was  even 
amusing  to  us  Yankees,  who  invariably  got  the  worst  of  the 
bargain.  Our  next  stop  was  at  Gaine's  Hill.  Here  we  stay 
ed  for  the  night,  lodging  in  a  hayshed,  where  we  were  very 
glad  to  rest  our  weary  limbs  and  sore  feet.  Of  course  they 
continued  their  vigilance  over  us.  The  entrance  to  the  shed 

165 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

was  not  only  carefully  bolted,  but  two  men  with  loaded  re 
volvers  in  their  belts  were  on  guard  over  us  all  night.  We 
were  called  early  in  the  morning  and,  to  sharpen  our  ap 
petites,  we  walked  about  six  miles  before  we  took  breakfast. 
We  had  eaten  nothing  since  the  morning  before,  excepting 
a  few  green  apples  that  we  were  permitted  to  pick  up  by  the 
wayside.  To  this  state  of  things  we  became  fully  inured 
during  our  six  months'  experience.  This  breakfast  was  not 
in.  keeping  with  the  one  we  had  the  morning  previous.  It 
consisted  of  a  few  hoe  cakes,  half  baked,  with  a  little  sour 
milk.  A  spectator,  however,  would  have  concluded  that  our 
fare  was  exceedingly  palatable  from  the  way  we  relished 
it. 

We  continued  our  march  and  were  told  that  Culpepper 
Court  House  would  be  our  next  stop,  and  that  at  that  point 
we  would  be  furnished  with  railroad  transportation.  But 
when  we  came  there  we  learned  that  the  "Yankees"  had 
been  there  the  day  before  and  burned  the  railroad  bridge, 
in  consequence  of  which  we  continued  the  march  some  six 
miles  further,  where  we  lodged  for  the  night.  We  had  a 
fairly  good  supper  and  were  glad  to  have  the  opportunity 
to  rest  our  sore  feet.  Early  the  next  morning  we  were 
again  on  the  march  and  reached  Orange  Court  House  about 
ten  o'clock  where  we  were  put  on  board  the  cars,  and  soon 
reached  Gordonsville.  At  this  point  the  guerrillas  who 
had  charge  of  us,  turned  us  over  to  the  regular  authorities 
of  the  Confederacy.  We  stopped  at  Gordonsville  only  long 
enough  to  change  cars,  and  then  we  were  off  for  Richmond, 
our  destination.  Arriving  at  Richmond,  we  were  at  once 
marched  to  the  provost  marshal's  office  for  registration. 
We  all  registered  as  members  of  Companies  F  and  M  of  the 
Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry.  We 
were  then  taken  to  Libby  Prison,  but  before  we  were  con 
ducted  to  our  compartments,  we  were  ordered  to  empty  our 
pockets,  even  to  the  last  button,  which  we  did.  Then  our 
clothing  was  thoroughly  inspected  to  ascertain  if  we  might 
have  upon  our  persons  any  instrument  by  which  we  might 
effect  our  escape.  I  considered  myself  very  fortunate  in 
being  permitted  to  retain  everything  I  had,  and  was  es- 

166 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

pecially  surprised  that  I  was  allowed  to  keep  a  watch  that 
was  given  to  me  by  Comrade  Jacobs  S.  Super  when  he  was 
wounded. 

After  the  inspection  was  over,  we  were  conducted  to  the 
third  floor.  I  shall  never  forget  the  distressed  feeling  that 
came  over  me  as  I  entered  the  already  overcrowded  and 
filthy  apartment  to  which  I  was  assigned,  and,  for  the  first 
time  in  my  life,  looked  out  of  the  window  from  behind  iron 
bars.  Whether  our  incarceration  in  this  horrible  dungeon 
had  a  tendency  to  cheer  our  hearts  or  depress  our  spirits, 
I  will  let  the  reader  judge.  The  building  had  been  used 
originally  as  a  tobacco  warehouse,  but,  on  the  inauguration 
of  the  war,  was  prepared  for  the  confinement  of  prisoners 
of  war.  The  doors  leading  from  one  apartment  to  another 
were  walled  shut  so  as  to  prevent  communication  amongst 
the  prisoners  which  might  result  in  plans  to  effect  escapes. 
The  building  was  poorly  lighted  and  ventilated,  with  hardly 
any  sanitary  regulations.  The  continued  arrival  of  prison 
ers  made  it  necessary  to  provide  additional  facilities.  And 
so  a  number  of  them  were  transferred  to  Belle  Isle,  just 
across  the  river  from  Libby  Prison.  I  was  one  of  the  num 
ber  that  was  transferred,  and  right  glad  was  I  to  get  out  of 
the  horrible  dungeon  in  which  I  was  confined.  But,  with 
the  exception  of  having  a  purer  atmosphere,  our  new  quar 
ters  were  even  worse  than  in  Libby  Prison.  Belle  Isle  is  an 
island  in  the  James  River  containing  about  four  acres  of 
ground,  surrounded  by  earth  works  several  feet  high,  and 
was  well  guarded.  It  contained  about  15,000  prisoners  all 
huddled  together  like  so  many  cattle  turned  loose  in  an 
open  field,  without  any  protection  or  shelter,  and  exposed 
to  all  kinds  of  weather.  On  the  west  side  of  the  island 
was  quite  an  elevation  and  on  its  crest  were  placed  a  half 
dozen  cannon,  ready  for  immediate  use,  which  looked 
down  upon  our  camp  of  defenseless  prisoners. 

Even  this  place  became  too  congested,  and  so  one  day  it 
was  rumored  in  camp  that  we  were  to  be  paroled.  A  list 
had  been  prepared  and  as  the  names  were  called  we  were 
ordered  to  fall  in  line.  We  were  placed  in  box  cars,  but  we 
knew  not  where  we  were  going.  We  soon  found  out,  how- 

167 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

ever,  that,  instead  of  being  paroled,  we  were  being  taken  still 
farther  into  the  interior  of  rebeldom.  Our  destination  was 
Salisbury,  N.  C.  The  captain  who  had  charge  of  our  escort 
was  in  the  same  car  I  was  in.  I  was  one  of  the  last  to  en 
ter  the  car  and,  as  he  had  his  station  near  the  entrance  of 
the  car,  I  was  close  to  him,  and  frequently  engaged  him  in 
conversation.  And  while  he  had  pronounced  convictions 
as  to  the  issues  of  the  war,  he  had  a  sympathetic  heart  and 
did  not  approve  of  the  manner  in  which  our  prisoners  Q£ 
war  were  treated.  He  admitted  that  it  was  inhuman.  Be 
fore  we  reached  Salisbury  I  had  sold  him  tne  watch  I  had 
received  from  Comrade  Super  for  $135.00  in  Confederate 
money.  I  always  attributed  to  the  sale  of  this  watch,  my 
escape  from  Salisbury  Prison,  as  the  money  I  realized 
from  its  sale  enabled  me  to  purchase  occasionally  a  few 
vegetables  so  requisite  to  fight  that  dreadful  disease, 
scurvy,  from  which  so  many  of  our  men  died.  I  entered 
the  stockade  of  Salisbury  the  last  week  in  October,  and 
remained  in  that  horrible  pit  until  February  22,  1865. 

Salisbury  is  a  small  inland  town,  known  to  but  few  out 
side  of  the  State  of  North  Carolina,  except  those  who  were 
so  unfortunate  as  to  be  compelled  to  live  there  as  prisoners 
of  war.  But  since  the  war,  its  name  has  become  familiar  in 
every  State  north  of  Mason  and  Dixon's  Line,  as  thousands 
of  homes  have  been  made  sad  by  reason  of  the  many  deaths 
and  intense  sufferings  of  the  men  who  were  confined  there. 
Here  thousands  of  men  lay  all  summer  and  winter,  exposed 
to  all  conditions  of  weather,  most  of  them  without  coats, 
hats,  shoes,  blankets  or  any  other  kind  of  clothing  which 
afforded  shelter  or  protection.  The  place  was  thoroughly 
honeycombed  by  digging  in  the  ground,  and  those  who  could 
get  a  little  shelter  in  that  way  were  considered  most  fortu 
nate.  When  it  rained  they  would  be  obliged  to  abandon 
their  caves  until  they  were  dry  enough  to  be  occupied  again. 
The  ration  that  was  served  seldom  varied,  and  if  there  was 
a  change  at  all,  it  usually  was  less  in  quantity  and  inferior  in 
quality.  It  consisted  chiefly  of  six  ounces  of  sour  corn 
bread,  baked  from  corn  meal  ground  with  cobs  and  kernels, 
which  was  so  hard  that  it  was  almost  impossible  to  break  it ; 

168 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

about  two  ounces  of  condemned  meat  of  some  kind;  and, 
about  twice  a  week,  a  little  rice  or  bean  slop  unfit  to  eat. 

This  ration  was  usually  brought  into  camp  in  the  after 
noon  and  thrown  from  the  wagon,  somewhat  after  the  man 
ner  that  a  farmer  feeds  his  cattle.  Frequently  the  corn 
meal  would  be  issued  to  us  unbaked.  With  hardly  any 
cooking  utensils  and  no  wood,  ofttimes  the  corn  meal  was 
simply  stirred  in  water  and  used  in  that  way.  Some  would 
eat  it  raw.  Then  there  was  the  dead  line,  beyond  which 
none  dared  to  pass,  under  penalty  of  death.  Perhaps  the 
most  horrible  sight  was  the  sight  of  the  dead  wagon.  Every 
morning  the  big  gate  would  swing  open  and  the  dead  wagon 
would  enter,  go  through  the  pen  and  gather  up  the  dead, 
pretty  much  like  the  scavenger  comes  to  your  back  door  and 
gathers  up  the  garbage  to  haul  it  away.  It  was  a  ghastly 
sight  to  see  the  dead  brought  out  of  the  caves  every  morn 
ing,  piled  on  the  wagon  like  so  much  cord  wood  and  hauled 
out  of  the  pen.  The  unitiated  will  say,  "These  are  exagger 
ated  statements."  Permit  me  to  say,  "No  words  can  de 
scribe,  nor  artist  paint  a  picture  dark  enough  to  present  the 
actual  scenes  that  were  daily  witnessed  in  this  the  worst  of 
all  prison  pens." 

The  constant  and  all  absorbing  question  among  the  men 
was  ways  and  means  to  make  their  escape.  Many  plans  were 
suggested  and  secretly  discussed.  A  plan  to  overpower  the 
guard,  at  a  fixed  time,  was  finally  agreed  upon.  General 
Hays,  who  was  the  senior  officer  in  the  stockade,  was  to 
have  been  in  command.  But,  before  an  opportune  time 
came,  all  the  commissioned  officers  were  removed  to  Dan 
ville.  Evidently  the  authorities  suspected  a  general  deliv 
ery,  or,  possibly,  some  traitor  revealed  the  plot.  The  re 
moval  of  the  officers,  however,  did  not  lessen  the  ardor  of 
the  men  to  attempt  the  escape.  The  opportunity  soon  came. 
When  General  John  B.  Hood  was  sorely  pressed  by  General 
Thomas,  and  needing  all  the  men  that  could  possibly  be  sent 
to  him,  the  guard  at  Salisbury  prison  was  ordered  to  the 
front,  and  old  men  and  boys  took  their  places  at  the  stock 
ade.  This  was  considered  a  favorable  time  to  run  the  guard. 

But  for  some  reason  the  old  guard  did  not  get  away  as 

169 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

soon  as  had  been  expected.  As  we  learned  later,  they  were 
delayed  in  getting  transportation  as  scheduled.  The  signal 
agreed  upon  was  given,  and  we  rushed  upon  the  guard,  seiz 
ed  their  guns  and  ammunition,  and  rushed  for  the  gate. 
Immediately  the  cry  was  raised  on  the  outside  of  the  stock 
ade,  "Revolt!  revolt!  revolt!"  The  old  guard,  which  had 
not  yet  left  the  depot,  immediately  returned  to  the  stockade 
and  drove  the  prisoners  back  into  the  pen  again.  Several 
cannon,  that  were  advantageously  placed  for  just  such  an 
emergency,  opened  upon  us,  raking  us  from  every  available 
point,  killing  scores  of  our  defenseless  men.  Major  Gee, 
who  was  in  command  of  the  stockade,  stood  on  one  of  the 
beats  of  the  guard,  shouting  at  the  top  of  his  voice,  "Shoot 

down  those  d n  Yankees  like  dogs!  Shoot  them  down 

like  dogs !"  At  the  same  time,  with  his  revolver  in  hand,  he 
himself  was  shooting  anyone  who  came  in  his  sight.  Had  it 
not  been  that  many  found  shelter  in  the  caves,  our  dead 
would  have  been  vastly  more  numerous.  Some  one  had 
blundered,  and  the  plan  was  a  failure.  The  sacrifice  was 
great. 

Tunnelling  also  was  in  progress  before  and  after  this  re 
volt.  This  was  slow  and  hard  work,  and  not  very  success 
ful,  for  those  who  did  escape  in  this  way,  were  invariably 
recaptured  before  reaching  the  Union  lines.  Thus  we  en 
dured  and  suffered,  waited  and  prayed  until  the  morning 
of  February  22,  1865,  when,  all  of  a  sudden,  news  reached 
us  that  we  were  to  be  paroled.  This  welcome  news  came  to 
us  so  unexpectedly  that  we  were  slow  to  believe  it.  But  it 
was  repeated  over  and  over  again,  and  confirmed  by  the 
guard,  so  it  was  accepted  as  a  fact,  and  there  was  great  re 
joicing  all  over  the  stockade.  Some  one  started  to  sing  the 
long  metre  doxology,  "Praise  God  from  whom  all  blessings 
flow,"  which  was  immediately  taken  up  in  every  part  of  the 
stockade.  And  it  was  sung  with  a  spirit  and  feeling  such  as 
I  have  never  heard  given  to  it  before  or  since.  We  could 
hardly  realize  that  the  day  of  our  deliverance  had  come  at 
last.  Some  cheered,  some  laughed,  and  some  wept  for  joy. 

The  order  was  given  to  get  ready  to  leave.  In  less  time 
than  it  required  to  issue  the  order,  the  men  were  ready  to 

170 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

go.  Such  of  the  sick  as  could  be  moved  were  placed  in 
freight  cars ;  others,  who  could  not  be  moved,  had  to  remain. 
Many  who  had  expected  to  go,  but  failed  to  get  transporta 
tion,  rather  than  remain  in  camp,  fell  in  line,  but,  failing  to 
keep  up  with  the  column,  were  obliged  to  drop  out.  If  it 
were  possible  to  locate  every  grave  and  erect  a  marker  over 
each  one  of  the  men  who  dropped  out  of  the  line  and  died 
by  the  wayside  on  that  memorable  fifty-mile  march,  a  blind 
man  could  almost  feel  his  way  from  Salisbury  to  Greens 
boro,  North  Carolina. 

At  Greensboro  we  were  taken  on  board  of  cars  to  Golds- 
boro,  where  we  were  paroled.  From  Goldsboro  we  went  to 
Stony  Point,  where  we  got  into  the  Union  lines.  Here  we 
received  the  best  ration  we  had  had  for  many  a  day.  We 
were  now  about  eight  miles  from  Wilmington.  We  con 
tinued  the  march  and  reached  Wilmington,  our  destination, 
about  midnight.  Here  our  commissary  was  prepared  for 
our  coming,  and  as  we  looked  upon  the  abundant  supplies 
awaiting  us,  it  was  almost  impossible  to  control  our  appe 
tites.  I  know  of  several  who  suffered  death  because  of  over 
eating.  We  remained  several  days  at  Wilmington,  and  then 
v/ere  placed  on  transports  to  sail  down  the  Cape  Fear  River, 
where  our  fleet  was  anchored.  I  shall  never  forget  my  feel 
ings  as  I  looked  upon  the  Stars  and  Stripes  once  more.  I 
thought  they  never  looked  so  beautiful  and  meant  so  much 
to  me.  In  due  course  of  time  we  arrived  at  Annapolis,  Md,, 
where  we  were  bathed,  scrubbed,  shaved,  had  a  haircut,  and 
received  an  entire  new  outfit  of  clothing.  This  was  followed 
by  a  thirty  days'  furlough.  Immediately  upon  my  arrival  at 
Annapolis,  I  wrote  letters  to  my  father  and  wife,  but  the 
letters  I  had  written,  by  some  means,  were  detained,  so  that 
I  reached  home  before  their  arrival.  And  so,  on  a  Friday 
evening,  about  sunset,  unannounced  and  unobserved,  I  walk 
ed  into  the  quiet  little  country  town  I  had  left  in  September, 
1862.  As  I  placed  my  hand  on  the  gate  leading  into  the 
yard  of  my  home,  I  arrested  the  attention  of  my  wife  and 
child,  who  met  me  with  open  arms.  The  news  of  my  return 
spread  rapidly,  and  the  house  was  soon  filled  with  neighbors 
and  friends.  To  be  home  once  more,  surrounded  by  my 

171 


THROUGH  PRISONS  AND  HOME  AGAIN 

family,  neighbors  and  friends,  was  an  experience  that  can 
better  be  imagined  than  described. 

I  have  thus  given  a  brief  sketch  of  my  capture  and  prison 
life  during  about  six  months  of  my  army  experience.  A 
great  deal  more  might  be  said,  but  space  will  not  permit. 
No  attempt  has  been  made  to  exaggerate  or  magnify  state 
ments.  The  true  facts, can  never  be  told.  Words  utterly 
fail  to  express  the  physical  and  mental  distress  that  was  en 
dured  by  the  men  who  were  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  confined 
in  the  so-called  Southern  prison  pens.  Since  the  war  I 
have  fought  over  and  over  again  the  battles  in  which  I  took 
part  and  recall  the  many  hairbreadth  escapes  I  made.  I  re 
gard  my  escape  from  the  several  prison  pens  in  which  I  was 
confined  as  little  less  than  a  miracle.  Memory  is  a  great 
blessing.  Stopping  on  the  road  and  looking  back,  great  com 
fort  and  cheer  comes  to  my  heart  in  the  thought  that  during 
those  perilous  times  through  which  my  country  passed,  I 
gave  the  best  of  my  life  and  efforts  to  save  it  and  to  keep 
every  star  on  the  American  flag. 


172 


H.  M.  DONEHOO. 
Captain,  Company  B,  Beaver  Falls,  Pa. 


HENRY  M.  DONEHOO. 

CAPTAIN  COMPANY  B,  BEAVER  FALLS,  PA. 

Captain  Henry  M.  Donehoo  was  born  in  Nobletown, 
Beaver  county,  Pa.,  February  i,  1835.  He  received  his 
early  education  in  the  public  schools  and  graduated  from 
the  Nobletown  Academy.  Later  he  continued  his  studies 
in  the  Wilmington  College  of  Pennsylvania,  from  which 
institution  he  also  graduated. 

When  President  Lincoln  issued  his  first  call,  April  15, 
1861,  for  75,000  volunteers  to  suppress  the  rebellion,  H.  M. 
Donehoo  was  a  law  student  in  the  office  of  Franklin  Saw 
yer,  in  Norwalk,  Ohio.  To  this  call  Mr.  Sawyer  responded 
by  recruiting  a  company  to  serve  for  three  months.  His 
law  student,  H.  M.  Donehoo,  was  the  first  to  sign  the  mus 
ter  roll,  and  rendered  valuable  assistance  in  raising  the 
company. 

At  the  end  of  his  three  months'  service  he  remained  in 
the  army  and  accepted  a  position  as  forage-master  in  Colo 
nel  Raum's  artillery  brigade,  and  served  in  that  capacity 
until  June  I,  1862,  when  he  returned  to  his  native  town 
and  was  married  to  Elizabeth  B.,  daughter  of  Major 
Thomas  McCreery,  of  Beaver,  Pa. 

About  the  middle  of  August,  1862,  when  his  brother,  D. 
M.  Donehoo,  and  James  Q.  Anderson  were  commissioned 
by  the  governor  of  the  State  to  recruit  a  cavalry  company, 
H.  M.  Donehoo  again  enlisted.  This  time  for  three  years 
or  during  the  war.  The  company  was  later  known  as  the 
Irwin  Cavalry,  and  became  identified  with  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry  and  was  desig 
nated  as  Company  A.  When  the  regimental  organization 
was  effected,  he  was  commissioned  regimental  commissary, 
with  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant.  Personally,  this  merited 
promotion  was  a  compliment,  but  to  the  company  it  was  a 
loss  of  one  of  its  most  active  members  and  most  efficient 
drill-masters.  In  the  meantime,  however,  Lieutenant  Done 
hoo  did  not  lose  interest  in  his  adopted  company,  and  de 
voted  much  of  his  spare  time  in  drilling  the  men  of  Com 
pany  A. 

12— 17th  R. 


HENRY  M.  DONEHOO 

On  a  certain  occasion,  while  Lieutenant  Donehoo  was 
drilling  the  company  on  the  field,  Colonel  J.  H.  Kellogg, 
commanding  the  regiment,  approached  and  witnessed  the 
drill.  Later  the  colonel  called  his  regimental  commissary 
to  his  headquarters  and  complimented  him  as  a  drill-mas 
ter.  He  said:  "There  will  be  a  vacancy  in  the  captaincy 
of  Company  B,  of  the  regiment,  and  I  shall  send  a  recom 
mendation  to  Governor  Curtin  to  have  you  commissioned 
captain  and  assigned  to  Company  B  as  captain,"  wrhich  was 
done.  In  a  very  short  time  there  was  formed  a  most  cor 
dial  relation  between  the  members  of  the  company  and  the 
new  captain. 

Captain  Donehoo  was  brave  and  commanded  his  com 
pany  with  marked  ability.  He  was  a  good  disciplinarian, 
and  he  had  the  reputation  of  having  one  of  the  best  drilled 
companies  in  the  regiment.  He  was  always  extremely 
solicitous  about  the  welfare  of  his  men,  and  was  in  return 
highly  esteemed  by  every  member  of  his  company.  He  was 
of  fine  physique,  a  good  horseman  and  in  every  respect  an 
ideal  soldier.  Excepting  a  three  months'  detached  service 
at  the  Carlisle  barracks,  he  participated  in  all  the  engage 
ments  and  raids  which  fell  to  the  lot  of  the  regiment.  He 
had  one  horse  shot  from  under  him  and  also  sustained  sev 
eral  slight  injuries.  At  the  battle  of  Five  Forks,  April  i, 
1865,  he  was  seriously  wounded  in  his  right  arm.  He  was 
a  constant  and  patient  sufferer  from  his  wound,  which 
finally  resulted  in  his  death  at  Dayton,  Ohio,  July  2,  1896. 
On  the  morning  of  July  i,  1863,  Captain  Donehoo,  with 
his  company  was  on  picket  duty  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  and 
received  the  first  fire  from  the  enemy.  For  this  honored 
distinction,  Governor  Curtin  sent  a  personal  letter  to  Cap 
tain  Donehoo  thanking  him  for  his  meritorious  conduct  in 
checking  the  advance  of  the  enemy  on  that  occasion. 

Sergeant  G.  D.  Mullihan  of  his  own  company,  and  one 
of  General  Sheridan's  scouts,  describes  a  thrilling  skirmish 
where  Captain  Donehoo,  with  a  detail  of  one  hundred  men, 
completely  surprised  about  an  equal  number  of  the  Rebel 
guerrillas  in  the  Capon  Mountains,  recapturing  some  twelve 
L^nion  prisoners.  The  expedition  was  so  skillfully  planned 

174 


HENRY  M.  DONEHOO 

and  so  bravely  executed  that  it  attracted  the  attention 
of  Colonel  E.  O.  Edwards,  then  provost  marshall  at  Win 
chester,  W.  Va.,  who  had  him  appointed  on  his  staff  as  his 
assistant  adjutant-general. 

In  1878  he  was  elected  register  and  recorder  of  Beaver 
county,  and  re-elected  to  the  same  office  in  1881.  In  this 
connection  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to  refer  to  the  captain's 
patriotic  wife,  who  was  prominently  associated  with  the 
Christian  Commission  work. 

Becoming  alarmed  at  the  distressing  news  of  the  battle 
of  Gettysburg  Mrs.  Donehoo  hurried  to  Harrisburg  with 
the  greatest  possible  speed.  When  informed  at  Harrisburg 
that  no  more  passports  would  be  issued  to  Gettysburg,  she 
obtained  an  audience  with  Governor  Curtin.  The  governor, 
was  obdurate  and  advised  her  to  go  home.  She  then  sought 
an  interview  with  Mr.  Irwin,  the  state  treasurer,  and,  still 
later,  with  Secretary  Quay  with  no  better  success.  She  then 
secured  a  conveyance  from  her  brother-in-law  Mr.  W.  C. 
Devin,  from  Mount  Holly,  Pa.,  who  had  come  to  Harris 
burg  for  safety.  He  drove  her  to  Carlisle,  where  friends 
filled  their  carriage  with  hospital  supplies  and  provisions, 
and  the  journey  was  continued  across  the  mountain.  She 
arrived  at  Gettysburg  in  safety.  She  at  once  began  a  search 
for  her  husband.  She  was  assured  that  he  was  safe  and 
that  his  regiment  had  left  Gettysburg.  She,  however, 
found  two  members  of  the  captain's  company  who  were 
seriously  wounded.  She  then  devoted  her  time  and  at 
tention  in  caring  for  the  wounded,  both  Union  and  Con 
federate  soldiers.  From  this  time  until  the  close  of  the 
war,  she  was  prominently  identified  with  the  Christian  Com 
mission  and  was  frequently  in  the  front,  engaged  in  caring 
for  the  sick  and  wounded. 

At  a  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  the  regiment  at  Gettys 
burg,  Pa.,  September  26,  1910,  Mrs.  Donehoo  read  a  very 
interesting  paper  entitled  "Reminiscences  of  the  Civil  War," 
which  was  highly  appreciated. 


175 


TWO  OF  GENERAL  SHERIDAN'S  SCOUTS. 
From  "Deeds  of  Valor" — Volume  No.  i,  Page  402. 

The  thrilling  adventures  of  two  of  General  Sheridan's 
scouts  form  an  interesting  chapter  of  the  episodes  of  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion.  One  of  the  scouts  was  Joseph  E.  Mc- 
Cabe,  a  sergeant  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry; 
the  other,  Archibald  H.  Rowand,  a  private  in  Company  K, 
First  Virginia  Cavalry,  the  former  being  the  general's  chief 
scout.  Among  the  many  achievements  of  these  two  men, 
the  capture  of  the  Confederate  general,  Harry  Gilmor,  and 
staff  was  the  most  brilliant  and  important.  The  occurrence 
dates  at  the  time  when  General  Sheridan  had  his  headquar 
ters  at  Winchester,  during  the  winter  of  1864.  It  was  Row 
and  who  first  got  the  trail  of  the  Confederate  general,  who, 
in  a  mansion  near  Moorefield,  W.  Va.,  was  nursing  his 
wounds  received  at  the  battle  of  Winchester.  He  imparted 
his  information  ta  General  Sheridan,  who,  at  once,  formu 
lated  plans  for  the  capture  of  the  wounded  commander.  The 
task  was  entrusted  to  Sergeant  McCabe,  chief  scout ;  Major 
Harry  H.  Young,  with  a  detachment  of  thirty  cavalrymen, 
and  Rowand,  who  acted  as  guide.  After  a  ride  of  forty 
miles  the  party,  all  dressed  as  Confederates,  reached  the  gen 
eral's  place  of  abode  at  daybreak.  Approaching  the  house 
cautiously,  Rowand  went  ahead,  overpowered  the  sentinel 
and  made  him  prisoner.  Sergeant  McCabe  and  Major  Young 
followed  and  demanded  the  surrender  of  the  general  and 
his  staff.  Resistance  being  out  of  the  question,  the  order 
was  readily  complied  with,  and  thus  the  two  scouts  were 
able  to  report  the  complete  success  of  their  mission  to  Gen 
eral  Sheridan  and  turn  over  to  him  the  Confederate  com 
mander. 

Another  important  capture  was  that  of  General  Rufus 
Barringer.  It  was  on  the  morning  of  April  6,  1865,  when 
McCabe  and  five  companions,  all  attired  in  Confederate  uni 
forms,  were  riding  along  on  their  way  to  Danville,  Va. 

176 


TWO    OF    GENERAL    SHERIDAN'S    SCOUTS 

Presently  they  were  met  by  a  group  of  four  Confederates, 
whom  they  halted  and  engaged  in  conversation.  The  Con 
federates  said  they  belonged  to  a  North  Carolina  brigade, 
and  McCabe  and  his  comrades  pretended  to  be  men  of  the 
Ninth  Virginia.  They  rode  along  together  till  they  were 
joined  by  a  Confederate  officer,  apparently  of  high  rank.  He 
revealed  himself,  during  the  course  of  the  conversation,  as 
General  Barringer.  McCabe  drew  from  the  unwary  Rebel 
much  valuable  information,  when,  without  any  previous 
warning,  he  informed  the  general  and  his  men  of  his  iden 
tity,  and  demanded  their  surrender.  His  determined  atti 
tude  completely  nonplused  the  Confederates,  who  were 
too  greatly  surprised  to  make  even  a  show  of  resistance. 
Only  one  Rebel  escaped.  For  this  clever  capture  of  Gen 
eral  Barringer,  Sergeant  McCabe  was  awarded  a  medal  of 
honor. 


177 


CAPTAIN  WILLIAM  TICK 

COMPANY  E,  MYERSTOWN,  PA. 

Captain  William  Tice  was  born  in  Jackson  Township, 
Lebanon  county,  February  2,  1818.  He  was  a  son  of  Major 
John  Tice  who  saw  service  in  the  Mexican  War.  His  early 
life  was  spent  with  his  father  on  the  farm. 

In  1843  ne  married  Sarah  Becker  and  settled  on  a  farm 
of  his  own  in  the  vicinity  of  Myerstown,  Pa.  He  paid 
special  attention  to  stock  raising  and  in  the  course  of  about 
ten  years  he  was  the  owner  of  several  of  the  finest  and  best 
equipped  farms  in  his  native  county,  and  his  superior  stock 
was  in  great  demand.  In  1855  he  located  in  Myerstown 
and  soon  became  one  of  the  most  progressive  and  promi 
nent  citizens  of  the  town.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Re 
formed  Church,  and  was  one  of  the  original  organizers  and 
promoters  of  Palatinate  College,  the  leading  educational 
institution  of  the  county.  Immediately  after  the  close  of 
the  war,  1865,  ne  was  elected  county  treasurer  and  served 
in  that  capacity  for  one  term. 

From  his  father,  and  probably  from  his  earlier  ancestors, 
he  inherited  the  strong  instincts  of  a  soldier.  This  is  evi 
denced  from  the  fact  that  he  always  took  a  deep  interest 
in  local  military  affairs.  He  served  as  captain  of  the 
Myerstown  Dragoons  for  a  number  of  years,  and  as  major 
of  the  consolidated  militia  organizations  in  the  county.  It 
was  in  this  manner  that  he  prepared  himself,  perhaps  un 
consciously,  for  the  more  strenuous  duties  which  he  after 
wards  so  heroically  encountered  during  the  W7ar  of  the 
Rebellion.  Early  in  September,  1862  he  received  a  com 
mission  from  Governor  Andrew  G.  Curtin  to  recruit  a 
cavalry  company  to  serve  for  three  years,  and  in  less  than 
two  weeks  time  he  reported  the  maximum  number  of  men 
to  the  governor  for  muster.  He  was  unanimously  elected 
captain  of  the  company,  and  immediately  after  his  elec 
tion,  he  voluntarily  pledged  himself  to  remain  with  the 
company  as  long  as  his  physical  condition  would  permit 


WILLIAM  TTCE. 
Captain,  Company  I1',  Mycrstown,  Pa. 


CAPTAIN  WILLIAM  TICK 

him  to  do  so.  And  the  fact  that  he  refused  all  promotions 
and  was  regularly  mustered  out  of  the  service  with  his 
company,  June  16,  1865,  shows  how  faithfully  he  kept  his 
pledge. 

At  the  battle  of  Aldie,  Va.  June  16,  1863,  his  favorite 
horse,  "Jim"  was  struck  by  a  Rebel  shell  and  instantly  kill 
ed.  The  shell  cut  his  sabre  in  two.  Both  the  sabre  and 
shell  are  relics  that  are  very  highly  prized  in  the  Tice 
family. 

During  the  engagement  known  as  Old  Church  Tavern, 
Va.,  May  30,  1864,  while  fighting  dismounted,  he  received  a 
gun-shot  wound  and  was  obliged  to  go  to  the  hospital 
for  several  weeks. 

Captain  Tice  knew  the  duties  of  a  soldier  and  performed 
them  in  a  superior  manner.  He  was  well  known  and  popu 
lar  in  the  regiment.  He  was  an  excellent  horseman  and 
always  rode  the  best  horse  in  the  regiment.  He  was  al 
ways  solicitous  about  the  welfare  of  his  men,  and  was  in 
return,  highly  esteemed  by  them.  His  bravery  in  action 
was  an  inspiration  to  his  men.  He  died  September  15,  1870 
and  his  remains  were  deposited  on  the  family  plot  in  the 
Union  cemetery  at  Myerstown,  Pa. 


179 


ISAAC  N.  GRUBB. 

CAPTAIN  COMPANY  I,  THOMPSONTOWN,  PA. 

Captain  Isaac  N.  Grubb  enlisted  September  26,  1862,  as 
private  in  Company  I  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Penn 
sylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  and  was  promoted  to  corporal, 
October  30,  1862.  He  served  as  postmaster  of  the  regiment 
at  Camp  Simmons  for  one  month.  He  was  detailed  as  adju 
tant's  clerk  of  the  regiment,  January  5,  1863,  and  promoted 
to  sergeant  major  of  the  regiment  August  23,  1863.  He 
was  elected  first  lieutenant  of  Company  I,  July  22,  1864. 
At  the  battle  of  Berry ville,  W.  Va.,  August  22,  1864,  he 
was  wounded  by  a  minnie  ball  through  the  thigh  and  sent 
to  the  Navy  School  Hospital,  Annapolis,  Maryland.  On 
September  8,  1864,  he  was  elected  captain  of  Company 
I,  and,  on  January  13,  ^1865,  was  discharged  on  account  of 
wounds  received  in  action.  He,  however,  had  not  been 
mustered  into  active  service  as  captain  of  the  company  on 
account  of  being  disqualified  for  service  by  reason  of  his 
wounds. 

By  a  subsequent  act  of  Congress,  it  was  specified,  "That 
all  officers  commissioned  to  a  higher  grade  than  that  held 
by  them  when  discharged  on  account  "of  wounds,  were  en 
titled  to  be  mustered  into  said  higher  grade,  to  rank  as  such, 
and  receive  the  difference  of  pay  and  allowance  between 
the  said  grades."  Under  this  act  Captain  Grubb  was  mus 
tered  as  captain  of  Company  I  of  the  Seventeenth  Regi 
ment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  in  October,  1886. 
After  the  close  of  the  war  he  located  in  Thompsontown, 
Juniata  county,  Pa.,  entered  the  medical  profession,  and 
is  now  a  successful  practitioner,  highly  esteemed  by  all  who 
know  him. 


180 


ISAAC  N.  GRUBB. 
Captain,  Company  I,  Thompsontown,  Pa. 


THE  MAKING  OF  A  VOLUNTEER  CAVALRY 
MAN. 

FIRST    LIEUTENANT    JAMES    ALBERT    CLARK,    ADJUTANT 
OF  THE  REGIMENT,  WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

The  farther  we  get  away  from  the  war,  the  more  certain 
phases  of  our  military  experience  stand  out  in  perspective  to 
the  exclusion  of  other  incidents,  which  at  the  time  we  consid 
ered  of  greater  importance.  Thus,  places  and  dates  which  go 
to  the  making  of  regimental  histories  become  obscured  in  fa 
vor  of  the  overshadowing  view — the  making  of  the  volun 
teer  cavalryman. 

Three  incidents  bearing  on  this  line  of  thought  are  insistent 
in  my  recollection,  for  they  show  the  raw  material  at  the 
start,  and  culminate  in  the  gratifying  assertion  of  General 
Sheridan  after  his  return  from  the  Franco-Prussian  War, 
that  his  Cavalry  Corps,  as  he  left  it  in  1865,  could  whip 
any  equal  number  of  cavalry  on  the  face  of  the  earth. 

The  first  of  these  three  incidents  relates  to  the  time  when 
General  McDowell  with  an  army  40,000  strong,  encompassed 
Washington,  endeavoring  to  organize  an  army  fit  to  assume 
the  aggressive.  "Bull  Run  Russell,"  the  correspondent  of  the 
London  Times,  asked  him  one  day  why  he  did  not  send  a 
cavalry  reconnoissance  toward  Fairfax  Court  House  to  as 
certain  what  the  enemy  might  be  doing.  General  McDowell 
is  said  to  have  answered  that  he  had  not  in  his  whole  com 
mand  an  officer  of  experience  whom  he  could  send.  It  is 
doubtful  if  General  McDowell  ever  said  it,  but  it  was  be 
lieved  to  be  true  over  the  country,  and  the  publications, 
from  the  more  ponderous  magazine  article  to  the  most 
pretentious  country  weekly  editorial,  did  not  hesitate  to 
enlarge  upon  such  a  state  of  things.  The  question  was  put, 
"Where  are  the  cavalry  officers  of  the  Regulars?"  And  the 
answer  followed,  "Gone  to  their  respective  States,  most  of 
them  to  organize  state  troops ;  or,  doing  staff  duty  in  differ 
ent  parts  of  the  country  where  experience  surely  was  de 
manded;  or,  promoted  to  generals  and  effecting  at  their 
utmost  the  vast  preparations  soon  to  become  history." 

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MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

Then  other  questions  intruded,  "Where  are  the  old  ser 
geants  of  the  Regulars  that  have  seen  service  on  the  plains ; 
served  in  the  Mexican  War,  and  drilled  under  the  grand 
names  that  figured  in  the  old  First  and  Second  U.  S.  Cavalry 
Regiments,  when  'Bobby  Lee'  was  one  of  them  and  many 
of  the  brilliant  names  in  the  great  array  of  both  Federal 
and  Confederate  armies  were  then  officers  of  the  line?" 
Same  answer,  "They  are  all  scattered  as  drill-masters  in 
the  various  States  organizing  the  camps  and  nearly  all  now 
wearing  shoulder-straps  instead  of  the  orange  chevrons." 

The  discussion  on  this  state  of  affairs  made  an  indelible 
impression  on  my  mind  from  the  fact  that  the  professors 
under  whom  I  was  studying  to  complete  my  college  course, 
entered  into  explanations  which  to  them  seemed  clear,  and 
which  to  me  seemed  prophetic,  because  of  the  nature  of  our 
relations ;  being  young,  I  was  obliged  to  accept  their  dicta 
as  the  resultant  of  ponderous  thought,  and  as  superior  to 
the  common  superficial  reasoning  of  the  plain  people.  They 
said,  we,  as  a  nation  were  setting  in  to  a  period  of  great 
trial.  Cavalry  could  not  be  made  in  a  day.  Continental 
Europe  with  its  history  from  the  great  Roman  days  to  the 
late  Crimean  War  would  attest  this.  Infantry  could  be  im 
provised,  massed  at  a  call,  as,  witness  the  "minute-men"  of 
the  Revolution,  but  cavalry,  No ! ! 

The  second  of  the  three  incidents  above  referred  to  oc 
curred  after  I  had  enlisted  as  a  private  in  K  Company, 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  late  in  the  summer  of 
1862.  After  a  partial  drill  at  Camp  Curtin,  supplemented 
by  experience  in  other  camps  under  a  West  Point  graduate, 
and  a  former  officer  of  the  Second  U.  S.  Cavalry,  Colonel 
Josiah  H.  Kellogg,  we  found  ourselves  pushed  to  the  front 
in  December,  1862,  the  regiment  being  assigned  to  General 
Schimelpfenning,  commanding  a  brigade  in  the  Eleventh 
Corps  under  General  Franz  Sigel.  This  was  the  old  order 
of  things,  for  the  Cavalry  Corps  was  not  organized  until 
early  in  1863. 

I  was  sent  one  day,  as  an  orderly  (yet  a  private)  to  Gen 
eral  Sigel's  headquarters  with  instruction  to  wait  for  an 
answer  to  the  dispatch  which  I  carried.  The  official  quarters 

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MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

of  the  staff  of  General  Sigel  were  in  the  building  so  well 
known  at  that  early  period  of  the  war  as  Stafford  Court 
House.  I  had  handed  in  my  dispatch  and  was  waiting  in 
the  anteroom  occupied  by  the  guards,  when  a  well-groomed 
officer  wearing  the  rank  of  captain  passed  through  with  an 
air  of  some  importance.  His  dress,  which  was  European 
rather  than  American,  dazzling  and  with  medals  abundant, 
caught  my  boyish  fancy ;  his  deportment  was  so  imperious 
that  I  asked  one  of  the  guards,  "Who  is  that  officer?"  He 
gave  me  the  name  which  I  have  forgotten,  Captain  von 
Something,  and  further  added,  "He  is  on  the  staff  of  General 
Sigel  and  has  seen  service  in  Europe.  He  is  a  graduate  of  a 
military  school,  and  at  home,  a  nobleman  by  birth  and  rank. 
He  is  a  very  smart  man." 

Standing  as  I  did  in  the  anteroom,  I  heard  the  conversa 
tion  in  the  room  adjoining,  which  was  the  office  of  the  staff 
officer,  a  lieutenant-colonel,  to  whom  my  dispatch  had  been 
delivered.  The  spectacular  military  graduate  aforesaid 
strode  in  with  haughty  deportment,  and  said,  "Colonel,  you 
have  sent  for  me."  "Yes,  Herr  Captain,  General  Sigel  wants 
you  to  go  to  Dumfries  tonight.  Reports  still  come  in  that 
Hampton's  men  are  crossing  the  river  at  different  points 
and  continuing  their  raids." 

It  may  be  well  to  state  here  that  some  ten  days  prior,  Gen 
eral  Wade  Hampton  had  made  a  raid  in  force  reaching  Oc- 
coquan,  only  forty  miles  from  Washington,  and  had  cap 
tured  many  sutler's  wagons  and  part  of  a  government  train 
on  the  way  to  the  front. 

The  captain  answered  with  a  rising  inflection,  "Yes." 

The  colonel  continued,  "How  many  men  do  you  want?" 

With  no  hesitation  and  in  rather  an  abrupt  tone,  "One 
hundred." 

The  colonel  after  a  slight  pause  said,  "Captain,  you  don't 
need  a  hundred  men ;  it  is  simply  wearing  out  horse  flesh  to 
pull  through  the  mud  on  such  a  dark  night." 

To  my  astonishment  (for  we  had  already  felt  the  exact 
ing  discipline  of  our  West  Point  colonel),  this  officer,  su 
bordinate  in  rank,  replied  to  his  superior  and  in  a  tone  which 
carried  defiance,  "I  will  not  assume  the  responsibility  of  an 

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MAKING   OF  A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

expedition  to  Dumfries  with  less  than  a  hundred  men."  And 
he  carried  his  point. 

My  mind  naturally  reverted  to  the  "Bull  Run  Russell"  epi 
sode,  and  the  sage  reflections  of  the  scholastic  professors 
whom  I  recalled  as  I  reflected,  "that's  the  kind  of  man  Gen 
eral  McDowell  ought  to  have  had." 

Nevertheless,  in  two  weeks  time,  details  more  than  once 
were  made  from  our  regiment,  and  ten  men  under  a  sergeant 
(I  being  one  of  the  number)  were  sent  out  over  the  same 
road  for  a  similar  purpose. 

The  third  incident  dates  in  1864  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley. 
We  were  part  of  the  grand  old  Cavalry  Corps  organized 
under  General  Stoneman;  had  shared  with  his  successor, 
General  Alfred  Pleasonton,  the  glories  of  our  cavalry 
achievements,  and  now  under  Sheridan,  after  following  him 
confronting  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  we  found  our 
selves  fighting  or  skirmishing  somewhere,  nearly  every  day 
in  the  valley. 

Two  small  detachments,  one  following  the  other  some 
days  apart,  had  been  lost  in  attempting  to  establish  com 
munication  at  a  distant  point  west  of  Staunton.  A  third  trial 
was  to  be  made  to  push  through.  It  was  the  chief  of  staff 
at  Cavalry  Corps  headquarters  who  asked  Captain  Bean, 
Assistant  Inspector  General  on  the  staff  of  the  First  Cavalry 
Division,  whether  he  knew  an  officer  who  might  be  trusted 
to  make  the  third  attempt.  Captain  Bean,  who  formerly 
was  of  our  regiment,  came  to  me,  I  then  being  adjutant,  and 
stated  the  case.  I  told  him  I  could  name  an  officer  who 
would  undertake  it,  and  he  would  go  through  if  anybody 
could,  and  I  sent  for  Second  Lieutenant  James  Anglun. 
Lieutenant  Anglun  and  myself  had  both  enlisted  as  privates 
in  the  same  company,  and  had  been  together  many  times  on 
scouting  and  reconnoitering  trips,  so  I  knew  my  man.  I  was 
not  present  at  the  interview  between  the  chief  of  staff  and 
Lieutenant  Anglun,  but  Captain  Bean  afterward  told  me 
the  substance,  and  he  said  the  chief  of  staff  was  more  than 
ordinarily  impressed  and  pleased  with  the  young  fellow's 
way  of  putting  things.  To  cut  in  short  it  ran  about  like 
this:  The  colonel,  after  explaining  what  was  required, 

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MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

giving  distance  and  somewhat  detailed  information  as  to 
route,  coupled  with  suggestive  advice,  asked,  "Do  you  think 
you  can  go  through?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  was  the  prompt  answer. 

"How  many  men  do  you  want?" 

"Five." 

The  colonel  seemed  surprised  at  this,  and  said,  "Don't 
you  think  you  had  better  take  more  men?" 

"No,  sir,  don't  want  them ;  they'll  be  in  the  way ;  too  many 
men  draw  fire  and  pursuit,  and  when  attacked,  we'll  scatter, 
of  course,  and  then  it  is  harder  to  rally,  and  this  delays.  I 
can  manage  better  with  five  and  I  don't  know  but  that  I 
could  get  along  well  with  three." 

And  he  went  with  his  five  men,  and  he  went  through,  and 
this  young  cavalryman,  not  yet  twenty-one  years  of  age,  was 
an  apprentice  to  a  car  builder  in  the  Delaware  &  Lacka- 
wanna  Railroad  shops  at  Scranton,  Pa. 

From  "Bull  Run  Russell"  in  1861  to  Sheridan's  Cavalry 
Corps  in  1864,  the  volunteer  cavalryman  had  been  made,  and 
well  made.  The  college  professors  might  go  on  as  they  did 
with  us,  forcing  their  pupils  to  parse  every  word  of  Caesar's 
Gallic  War  and  Xenophon's  Anabasis,  but  the  volunteer 
cavalrymen,  by  growth  and  development  were  already  made 
into  a  state  which  approached  perfection,  and  which  chal 
lenged  the  admiration  of  the  thinking  world. 

THE  STUFF  IN  THE  MAKING. 

But,  there  is  another  point  of  view  in  considering  the 
making  of  the  volunteer  cavalryman,  the  stuff  which  en 
tered  into  the  mass.  I  dare  not  hazard  a  critical  summary 
which  might  be  offered  for  all  sections  of  the  country,  but 
will  rather  confine  the  deductions  to  the  immediate  environ 
ment  whence  we  sprang. 

In  answer  to  Governor  Curtin's  call  for  three  regiments 
of  cavalry  as  part  of  that  300,000  called  for  in  1862,  the  in 
fantry  regiments  were  easily  organized,  one  in  this  county, 
one  in  another,  and  so  on ;  but  for  the  three  cavalry  regi 
ments  the  whole  State  contributed.  To  make  the  Sixteenth, 
Seventeenth  and  Eighteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  Regi- 

185 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

ments  all  counties  were  levied  upon.  It  took  fourteen  coun 
ties  to  make  one  regiment  of  twelve  companies,  our  (the 
Seventeenth.)  One  company  to  a  county  was  the  procedure, 
hut  failing  to  secure  the  quota  in  two  companies,  contingents 
from  two  counties  were  spliced  on. 

The  company  in  which  I  enlisted  as  a  private,  was  from 
Luzerne  County,  then  the  largest,  geographically,  in  the 
State ;  now  divided  by  the  separation  of  the  new  county, 
Lackawanna.  It  would  have  seemed  to  be  easy  in  such  a 
large  territory  to  enroll  one  hundred  men  for  a  cavalry  troop. 
At  the  county  seat,  Wilkes-Barre,  Colonel  Dana  had  no 
difficulty  in  raising  in  the  same  length  of  time  the  One 
Hundred  and  Forty-third  Infantry,  but  he  had  had  ex 
perience  in  the  Mexican  War,  and  was  a  lawyer  of  high 
standing,  while  we,  of  the  prospective  cavalry,  were  rally 
ing  to  a  captain  whose  chief  merit  was  that  he  owned  the 
"Black  Warrior,"  the  horse  which  had  won  every  race  In 
northeastern  Pennsylvania.  It  is  laughable  to  look  at  this 
grotesque  incident,  of  large  posters  calling  for  cavalry  re 
cruits,  one-third  of  the  sheet  occupied  by  the  big  wood  cut 
of  the  "Black  Warrior"  going  at  his  best  gait.  To  add  to 
the  ludicrous,  there  was  the  further  natural  sequence — the 
sporting  element  rallied  to  his  call.  Jack  Reese,  the  heavy 
weight  Welsh  slugger,  who  had  knocked  out  every  contest 
ant  in  the  ring  for  years  and  still  held  the  champion  belt, 
came  forward  and  was  enrolled.  This  was  heralded  in  the 
local  press  of  Scranton,  and  editorially  we  were  already 
dubbed  the  fighting  company ;  later  "bloody  Company  K." 
Four  lightweights,  all  of  whom  had  fought  in  the  ring,  fol 
lowed  Reese.  Coal  miners  came  in,  mostly  Irish,  and  a 
preponderance  of  them  were  boys  who  were  slate-pickers  in 
the  coal-breakers,  and  who  must  have  ribbed  right  royally 
when  they  swore  they  were  eighteen  years  of  age.  In  their 
haste  to  join  they  wasted  no  time  in  washing  the  coal  dust 
from  their  faces. 

Another  contingent  came  from  the  lumbering  region  on 
the  Lehigh.  They  were  great  brawny,  half-wild  fellows, 
and  the  local  press  again  dilated  on  the  future  of  such  a 
wonderful  company.  These  recruits  were  muscular  wood- 

186 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

men,  bear  hunters  in  the  deep  wilderness,  and  one  of  them 
was  the  acknowledged  Nimrod  in  all  that  section.  When  the 
lawyers  from  Wilkes-Barre  went  out  each  fall  loaded  for 
bear,  they  always  called  for  John  Larn,  who  camped  with 
them  and  piloted  them  in  the  labyrinths  of  that  dense  forest 
on  Buck  Mountain. 

Before  becoming  one  of  this  conglomerated  company  I 
passed  some  hours  in  solemn  communion  with  myself,  over 
the  parting  counsel  of  my  aged  instructor,  Professor  Tread- 
well,  who  had  for  years  been  noted  in  connection  with  Chapel 
Hill,  N.  C.,  but  who  had  accepted  a  position  in  the  North 
just  before  the  outbreak  of  hostilities.  He  said  to  me  with 
the  gravest  sincerity  and  kindliest  intentions,  "Don't  go ! 
The  country  does  not  expect- you  to  make  so  great  a  sacri 
fice.  There  are  thousands  of  young  men  to  whom  a  three 
years'  gap  in  life  will  make  no  appreciable  difference,  but 
with  you,  practically  all  will  be  lost.  You  have  but  your 
junior  .and  senior  years  to  complete  in  college,  when  you 
can  take  your  degree.  If  you  enter  the  service  all  your 
hard-earned  study  will  evaporate;  you  will  be  too  rusty 
to  stand  an  examination  if  you  survive;  and  how  ine 
quitable  it  appears  in  your  case  after  struggling  for  your 
education,  going  out  winter  terms  to  teach  to  earn  money 
to  re-enter  school  for  spring  and  fall  terms,  and  working  in 
haying  and  harvesting  during  vacation  at  $1.00  per  day,  and 
then  to  sacrifice  it  all.  Let  others  go!  Besides,  in  my  ex 
perience  at  Chapel  Hill,  N.  C.,  where  I  prepared  many 
young  men  of  the  South  for  West  Point  and  Annapolis, 
let  me  assure  you  that  entering  the  army  will  injure  you  in 
other  respects.  It  will  change  your  ideals ;  you  will  look 
upon  your  military  leaders  with  a  glorified  admiration  and 
worship.  I  have  watched  the  career  of  many  of  them  (and 
he  mentioned  Earl  Van  Dorn,  who  was  one  of  his  favorite 
pupils,  along  with  others).  In  your  after  years,  your  degree 
which  you  can  take  at  graduation  will  be  a  help  to  any  ca 
reer  you  may  choose,  while,  on  the  contrary,  a  three  years' 
service  will  yield  no  particular  merit.  Don't  go,  I  beg.  But, 
if  you  must  go,  why  not  join  the  young  men  with  whom  you 
are  acquainted?  They  are  all  going  into  the  infantry  regi- 

187 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

ment;  they  have  an  interest  in  common,  because  from  the 
same  locality;  their  woes  and  joys  are  yours  by  community 
of  interest,  and  in  sickness  or  distress  you  will  always  be 
with  friends." 

Wrestling  with  such  sincere  counsel,  I  fought  out  the  de 
termination,  and  enrolled  myself  among  strangers.  I  had 
never  met  one  of  them.  When  the  door  of  the  large  public 
hall,  the  rendezvous  for  the  recruits,  was  opened  and  I  was 
thrust  in,  and  heard  the  click  of  the  lock  which  shut  me  from 
the  old  world,  I  looked  around  at  the  faces  (nearly  a  hun 
dred),  and  my  blood  was  almost  checked  with  an  inward 
terror.  Here  was  the  company  which  the  local  press  pro 
phesied  would  mow  wide  swaths  in  the  ranks  of  the  enemy, 
yet  a  more  incongruous,  motley  gang,  I,  a  country  boy,  had 
never  seen. 

Rudyard  Kipling  in  his  army  stories  always  needs  a  Ser 
geant  Mulvaney  to  enliven  the  interest,  and  every  regiment 
has  had  its  Mulvaney.  We  had  him  in  this  group  and  he 
was  the  first  to  speak  as  I  entered,  pale  from  my  student 
life,  not  yet  fully  grown,  and  to  outward  appearances,  as  my 
friends  more  than  once  warned  me,  rapidly  approaching 
consumption.  My  dress,  too,  was  student-like  and  all  out  of 
keeping  in  that  mass  of  heterogeneous  humanity.  Biglin,  a 
witty  Irishman,  the  Mulvaney  of  the  crowd,  caught  sight  of 
me  and  bawled,  "Phawats  that?"  and  in  the  next  breath, 
"Holy  Moses,  he  wud  be  a  sojer." 

Digressing  for  a  moment,  once  more,  to  those  glorious 
days  in  the  Shenandoah,  Captain  Bean  used  to  bring  the 
gossip  of  division  and  corps  headquarters,  always  interest 
ing,  of  course.  One  cool  night  around  a  big  blaze  of  logs, 
General  Sheridan,  his  staff,  and  a  few  visitors  from  the 
various  commands  were  discussing  the  ideal  cavalry  regi 
ment,  and  Captain  Bean  gave  us  the  substance  of  what  Gen 
eral  Sheridan  offered  that  night.  He  said  his  ideal  cavalry 
regiment  would  consist  of  young  fellows  from  eighteen  to 
twenty-two  years  of  age,  none  to  weigh  over  130  pounds, 
and  not  one  in  the  whole  number  to  be  married. 

Applying  this  test  to  the  strange  bunch  of  recruits  in  the 
hall,  Sheridan  was  right,  and  the  slate-pickers  and  myself 

188 


MAKING  OF  A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

were  to  be  saved  as  survivors  in  the  grand  test,  and  so  it 
proved. 

In  those  rainy  days  and  blizzards  of  the  winter  of  1862- 
63,  in  the  shifting  camps  we  occupied  on  the  low  damp  soil 
in  the  vicinity  of  Acquia  Creek  where  whiskey  and  quinine 
were  served  to  save  the  dwindling  ranks,  our  massive  Welsh 
prize-fighter  t  became  a  wreck  and  died  before  the  flowers 
bloomed  in  the  spring.  The  great  bear  hunter,  six  feet,  six 
inches  tall,  with  his  huge  frame  in  proportion,  was  shrunken 
to  a  pitiable  sight,  his  eye  sunken  and  his  bones  sticking  hard 
against  his  sallow  skin,  and  after  a  stay  in  the  hospital,  was 
discharged  to  return  home  helpless  for  the  rest  of  khis  life. 
All  the  older  married  men  from  the  Lehigh  lumber  camps 
shared  the  same  fate,  eventually.  The  four  lightweight 
prize-fighters  succumbed  later  on  and  were  in  hospital  more 
than  in  camp;  they,  too,  were  discharged. 

But  the  slate-pickers,  the  wicked,  waspy,  witty,  little  dare 
devils,  and  myself  grew  strong  and  athletic  everyday.  Not 
an  hour  of  sickness  for  us,  and  during  all  our  three  years' 
service,  though  we  had  watered  our  horses  in  every, stream 
from  the  Potomac  to  the  Blackwater,  and  from  the  North 
Mountain  in  western  Virginia  to  the  sea,  and  had  drunk 
from  the  same  pools,  muddy  or  swampy,  not  a  moment  of 
sickness  for  us,  and  before  I  had  been  in  the  service  *six 
months  I  could  easily  accomplish  the  stunt  I  had  worked  for 
assiduously — that  of  placing  my  hand  on  ,my  horse's  neck 
when  at  a  trot,  and  vaulting  at  a  bound  into  the  saddle.  As 
for  the  sportsman  who  owned  the  "Black  Warrior,"  he 
never  became  .captain;  it  was  not  intended  he  should;  he 
had  posed  as  a  blind  to  gather  recruits  because  of  his  local 
popularicy.  The  commission  was  given  to  his  friend  with 
whom  an  understanding  had  existed  from  the, beginning. 

THE  INITIATIVE. 

The  supreme  problem,  however,  in  the  making  of  the 
volunteer  cavalryman  was  the  .development  of  the  initiative. 
The  opportunities  for  some  of  us  came  early.  It  seems,  or 
rather,  such  was  the  rumor,  that  General  Wade  Hampton 
had  issued  an  order  granting  privilege,' of  transfer  from  in- 

189 

13— 17th   R. 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

fantry  to  his  cavalry  to  any  who  could  furnish  the  horse  and 
equipment.  This  heightened  activity  along  the  upper  Rappa- 
hannock,  and  annoyed  us ,  incessantly.     Crossings  at  every 
ford  were  frequently  made  to  secure  an  equipment  from  the 
Yankees.     An  outpost  camp  was  established  a   few  miles 
above  the  main  army  commanded  by  Colonel  Cesnola,  /who 
had  seen  service  in  Italy.     A  squadron  from  each  of  the 
Sixth  and  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry  regiments  reinforced 
Colonel  Cesnola's  own ;  regiment,    the  Fourth.     Each    day 
twelve  men  from  our  regiment  reported  to  this  camp  for 
duty,   I  being  of  the  number,   and  it  so  happened  that   I 
was  continued  on  the ;  permanent  detail.     The  first  day  out 
(there  were  twenty  of  us)   we  were  ambushed  near  Ellis 
Ford.    As  we  entered  a  stretch  of  woods  riding  on  a  narrow 
road  cut  down  on  .the  side  hill,  not  expecting  to  meet  diffi 
culty  so  near  our  own  camp  and  even  without  an  advanced 
guard,  a  pistol  shot  rang  out  which  was  the  signal,  and  then 
a  volley  from  ( fifteen  muskets   (we  afterward  learned  the 
exact  number)  accompanied  with  their  yell,  "Halt,  halt,  sur 
render  you  sons  of  blank."    These  shots  came  from  the  de 
tachment  of  Hampton's  command,  a  trifle  short, of  twenty 
feet  distant  (as  we  afterward  measured  it).    They  being  on 
higher  ground,  concealed  in  the  thicket  of  low  pines,  and 
having  a  dead, rest  for  aim,  it  is  a  mystery  why  most  of  us 
were  not  murdered.     But  as  two  balls  pierced  Fagin,  the 
scout,  who    rode  at  the  head    of    the    column    in    citizen's 
clothes,  and  one  had  struck  his, horse,  it  is  to  be  assumed 
that  more  than  that  number  were  aimed  especially  at  him. 
Four  other  horses  were  struck  and  two  men  wounded.   That 
accounts  for  nine  shots, of  the  fifteen.     As  no  trace  of  a 
pistol  shot  was  found  it  must  be  assumed  that  the  lieutenant 
in  charge  carried  a  single  or  double  barreled  pocket  affair. 
Sergeant  Hines,  of  our  regiment, ,  who  rode  at  my  right,  and 
who  was  farther  from  the  fire,  had  his  hand  shattered.     I 
felt  only  the  hot  blast  on  my  left  cheek,  but  it  was  hot 
enough, .as  specks  of  the  burning  cartridge  ploughed  through 
the  skin,  making  it  uncomfortably  sore.    For  a  second  I  was 
absolutely  dazed.     The  suddenness  of  the  attack  and  the 
yells  completely  stunned  me.     Initiative  in  me?     Not  a  (bit 

190 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

of  it;  but  in  the  fraction  of  a  second,  looking  ahead,  as  if 
intuitively  appealing  for  help  from  our  leader,  ,1  saw  the 
men  of  the  Ninth  New  York  flashing  fire  from  their  car 
bines  into  the  faces  of  our  assailants.  Automatically,  the 
rest  of  us  4  followed  suit.  Our  regiment  had  not  yet  received 
their  carbines,  so  we  used  our  pistols.  On  these  cold  days 
we  had  a  habit  of  carrying  our  revolvers  thrust  in  our 
breasts,  hanging  on  the  buttons  ^of  our  overcoats,  our  fingers 
being  too  numbed  to  pull  them  quickly  from  the  holsters,  so, 
instinctively,  with  no  reasoning  or  initiative  on  my  part,  I 
did  as  they  did, ,  and  began  firing  and  soon  emptied  every 
chamber.  If  they  in  the  lead  had  run,  I,  loo,  would  have 
been  of  the  "also  ran."  Our  fire  was  so  galling  and  at  such- 
close  .range,  that  the  enemy  instead  of  re-loading  at  once, 
slunk  back  into  the  scrub  pines,  almost  crawling  on  their  bel 
lies  to  escape  the  blast.  Counting  our  carbine  and  pistol 
shots,  we  sent  nearly  three  times  as  many ,  at  them  as  we  re 
ceived,  yet  the  fatalities,  as  afterward  learned,  were  but 
two  wounded,  but  they  had  a  steady  aim  at  rest  on  us,  ,and 
could  each  see  his  man,  while  we  were  aiming  in  the  direc 
tion  of  their  smoke.  Our  horses  were  unsteady,  too,  and 
we  were  aiming  up  the  side  hill  where  they  were  concealed. 

But  in  the  analysis  of  the  situation,  as  I  philosophize  in 
my  maturer  years  ,on  this,  my  first  baptism  of  fire,  these 
incidental  details  become  obscured  and  I  am  led  to  conclude 
that  the  swift  contagion  of  those  brave  Ninth  New  York 
men  gave  us  (we,  the  green  ones, , I  mean)  our  first  cue,  and 
to  this  day  I  wonder  at  the  quickness  and  initiative.  1  cxuld 
not  have  believed  it  possible  to  jerk  out  a  carbine  hanging 
at  its  rest  and  get  to  firing  so  soon.  The  only  thing  I  can 
compare  is  the  action  of 'the  fingers  of  the  expert  piano 
player.  The  hand  thinks  quicker  than  the  brain.  Before  we 
were  mustered  out  in  1865  at  the  close  of  the  war  we  had 
occasion  more  than  once  to  appreciate  this  automatic  initia 
tive. 

You  have  heard  the  story  of  the  family  seated  around  the 
dining  table  in  February  feeding  sugar  to  the  last  .fly  of  his 
race,  and  the  question  which  adorned  the  tale :  "Who  ever 
heard  of  feeding  sugar  to  a  fly  in  August?"  After. the  close 

191 


MAKING    OF    A    VOLUNTEER    CAVALRYMAN 

of  our  ambush  episode,  Sergeant  Hines,  back  in  the  camp, 
bleeding  and  in  pain,  was  given  the  sole  occupancy \ of  Major 
Durland's  wall  tent  until  an  ambulance  could  arrive  next 
day,  for  he  was  the  first  one  to  shed  blood  in  t  our  regiment, 
and  Major  Durland  actually  mixed  milk  punches  for  him. 
Think  of  such  a  scene  in  1864!  Major  Durland. sent  for  me 
to  rehearse  all  the  minor  details  of  the  event,  and  examining 
the  burnt  blister  on  my  cheek,  gave  me  a  ;milk  punch  for 
getting  "nearly  killed."  In  the  long  campaigns  thereafter 
when  we  were  adding  glory  to  the  honor  of  American  cav 
alry,  I 'never  had  a  milk  punch  tendered  me  for  getting  near 
ly  killed.  I  was  the  fly  in  August. 

The  next  day  I  made  my  first  blunder,  and  all  for  the 
lack  of  that  initiative  which  we  in  after  service  learned  so 
well.  It  is  said  a  lawyer  is  more  successful  in  the  long  run 
if  he  loses  his  first  case,  and  ornamented  mottoes  are  now 
sold  with  President.' Roosevelt's  saying,  "The  man  who  never 
makes  mistakes  is  the  man  who  never  does  anthing." 

That  ambuscade  of  the  day  previous  had  aroused  Colonel 
Cesnola,  and  a  reconnoissance  in  force  was  [sent  out  to  pass 
up  the  river  along  all  the  fords  as  far  as  Kelley's,  in  charge 
of  an  officer  who  had  seen  service  in  both. the  British  and 
Austrian  armies,  wearing  three  medals  on  his  breast  and  so 
well  known  in  the  First  Cavalry  Division  as  Captain  Tim 
Hanley,;  afterward  Colonel  Hanley,  of  the  Ninth  New  York 
Cavalry.  He  had  his  own  squadron,  a  company  from  each 
of  the  Fourth  and  Sixth  New  York  Cavalry  regiments  and 
the  usual  detachment  from  our  own.  We  had  skirmishes  on 
the  way  up,  and  at  the  last  halt,  small  patrols  were  sent  out 
in  various  directions  to  gather  information  at !  the  farm 
houses.  I  was  placed  as  a  lookout  up  the  road,  the  reserve 
being  not  far  back  under  cover  of  a  sharp  turn, in  the  road. 
Soon,  right  ahead  of  me  two  mounted  men  emerged  from 
the  woods  as  if  going  toward  their  home,  the  .enemy's  side 
of  the  river.  They  were  mounted  on  spirited  horses  with 
better  than  ordinary  equipment,  and  in  personal  deport 
ment  were  of  distinguished  bearing,  their  beards  trimmed 
neatly,  Vandyke,  all  of  which  indicated  that  they  were  of 
some  importance.  Looking  down  the  road  they  saw  me.  I 

192 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

could  not  tell  who  they  might  be, .  for  the  day  was  drizzling 
and  they  were  covered  to  their  boots  with  their  ponchos,  as 
was  I,  and  their  caps  were  concealed  under  their  oil  cloths. 
Of  .course,  I  challenged  immediately,  "Halt,  who  comes 
there?"  They  gave  no  answer,  but  looked  at  each  other  as 
if  exchanging  a  few  words,  then  each  reached  under  his 
poncho  and  drew  a  revolver.  I  saw  the  glitter  of  the  silver 
mountings  and  was  further  convinced  that  they  must  be  offi 
cers  of  rank,  so,  aiming  with  my  revolver,  I  fired.  My 
horse  |  shied  at  the  report,  and  my  aim  for  the  succeeding 
shots  was  uncertain,  they  in  the  meantime  galloping  toward 
me.  I  had  emptied  all  my  chambers,  when  right  behind  me 
at  full  charge  came  a  number  of  the  Ninth  .New  York  from 
the  reserve  who  had  heard  my  challenge  and  the  first  shot. 
The  two  strangers  suddenly  wheeled  their  horses  back  into 
the  .woods  and  the  race  began  in  earnest,  I  joining  in.  Down 
some  distance  one  of  them  lost  the  blanket  from  under  the 
saddle,  which  shows  how  furiously  he  must  have  urged  his 
horse,  and  the  quality  of  the  blanket  further  .attested  the 
theory  that  they  were  men  of  superior  grade.  The  pursuit 
was  given  up  after  a  long  chase,  for  they  knew  the. woods, 
and  on  the  return  I  was  the  victim.  They  upbraided  me  for 
my  "greenness"  in  the  business,  and  .'kept  it  up  until  we 
reached  the  reserve,  when  the  whole  affair  was  renewed  in 
the  hearing  of  Captain  Hanley  and  a  fresh  flow  of  anathe 
mas  flung  against  .me  because  I  did  not  run  into  the  reserve 
at  once  after  the  challenge,  and  thus  coax  them  further 
along,  for,  as  they  expressed  it,  if  they  had  approached  three 
or  four  rods  nearer,  they  would. surely  have  been  captured. 
Captain  Hanley,  with  his  big  generous  Irish  heart,  checked 
them  and  told  them  if  every  one  of  them  would  stand,  with 
his  face  to  .the  enemy  until  his  last  shot  was  fired,  no  com 
plaint  would  be  heard.  But  I  blundered  all  the  same,  and 
Captain  Hanley  as  well  as  I  knew  it,  all  for  the  want  of  that 
initiative  which. individualized  the  typical  cavalryman  of  the 
later  days. 

These  reconnoitering  and  scouting  expeditions  were  kept 
up  for  about  forty  days  and  during  that  time,  we  of  the  per 
manent  detail  had  been  under  fire  eighteen  times,  while  as 

193 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

yet  our  regiment  and  its  officers  had  not  smelled  smoke. 
Then  .the  Cesnola  outpost  was  abolished,  and  under  the  new 
order  the  scouting  business  was  placed  on  a  new  basis,  be 
ing  thereafter  directed  from  corps  headquarters. 

But  new  opportunities  for  the  development  of  the  initia 
tive  arose,  in  which  all  regiments  of  cavalry  operating 
on  the  Rappahannock  had  a  part,  that  of  guarding  against 
these  petty  squads  from  the  enemy  attempting  to  get  horses 
by  snatching  away  a  lonely  picket  or  attacking  .a  reserve 
post.  Out  on  the  White  Ridge  Road  I  was  sent  eight  miles 
from  the  lines  in  charge  of  twelve  men,  having  (in  the  mean 
time  become  a  duty  sergeant.  The  colonel,  when  sending  me, 
said,  "I  expect  you  to  bring  back  every  man  and  every 
horse."  Our  stay  was  ten  days  at  a  time,  strictly  outpost, 
not  connected  with  similar  detachments  by  a  picket  .line,  but 
in  contact  with  them  by  patrols  during  the  night,  right  and 
left,  at  agreed  upon  hours,  and  agreed  upon  points  for. meet 
ing.  These  agreements  were  made  afresh  each  day  in  ad 
vance  of  the  night,  for  if  the  patrols  were  .regular,  as  to 
routes  and  hours,  the  prowlers  who  were  always  alert  would 
know  when  and  where  to  strike.  During  those  ten  days, .in 
which  occurred  one  of  the  worst  blizzards  I  saw  in  Virginia, 
I  went  each  two  hours  every  night  with; the  fresh  relief,  and 
placed  each  picket  each  time  in  a  changed  position,  and  al 
lowed  no  talking  going  or  coming,  yet  in  spite  of  .all  this 
precaution  we  were  attacked  twice  in  the  ten  days ;  but  I 
obeyed  the  colonel's  order,  and  brought  back  every. man  and 
every  horse.  In  looking  back  at  that  eventful  period,  only 
six  months  after  my  enrollment,  and  not  yet  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  I  can  offset  the  statement  of  the  professor's 
that  "minute-men"  could  be  massed  at  a  call,  but  cavalry, 
no !  This  outpost  duty  developed  the  initiative  in  us  and 
the  little  Irish  slate-pickers  I  had  with. me  from  choice,  prov 
ed  their  blood  and  mettle. 

But  the  consideration  of  the  initiative  on  the  larger  scale 
was  awaiting  us. .  The  Cavalry  Corps  had  been  effectively 
organized,  and  who  can  forget  that  magnificent  sight  when 
President  Lincoln  reviewed  us  on  the  plains  of  Falmouth  in 
the  spring  of  1863.  If  my  memory  serves. me  aright,  there 

194 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

were  twenty-five  regiments  in  that  display,  though  many  had 
dwindled  to  below  the  quota.  Then,  again,  it  looked  like 
preparing  for  the  .initiative  when  grindstones  were  issued 
to  the  regiments  and  orders  given  to  sharpen  the  sabres 
eighteen  inches  from  the  point. 

Now  followed  the  spring  campaign,  the  crossing  of  .the 
Rappahannock  with  Hooker  to  Chancellorsville.  General 
Stoneman  took  nearly  all  the  cavalry  with  him  on  his  ex 
pedition,  and,  as  gossip  ran,  did  not  want  General  Alfred 
Pleasonton ;  and  Hooker,  knowing  the  personal  feeling, 
said:  "Alf,  you  stay  with  me."  So  the  story  went,  at  any 
rate,  and  it  was  well  for  Pleasonton  that  he  stayed,  for  the 
Saturday  night  panic  of  the  Eleventh '.Corps  is  what  made 
him.  He  had  but  three  regiments,  ours  being  one,  to  dash 
down  Hazel  Run,  where  more  credit  is  due  the  cavalry  than 
i:;  given. by  Colonel  Hamlin  in  his  book  defending  the  Elev 
enth  Corps. 

The  need  of  a  thorough  cavalryman  was  well  shown  here, 
when  our  West  Point  colonel,  who  had  been  well  cursed  for 
his  .'severe  discipline,  proved  the  worth  of  regular  army 
training  in  handling  the  regiment  at  that  critical  time.  A 
staff  officer  of  some  European  experience  said  that  night, 
such  a  scene  was  never  before  seen  on  the  American. conti 
nent,  and  would  never  be  again.  Hooker's  pack  mules  carry 
ing  ammunition,  beef  cattle,  retreating  caissons  and  even 
batteries,  were  .confusedly  intermingled  with  panic-stricken 
men,  many  with  hats  lost  and  muskets  thrown  away,  all  fly 
ing  toward  the  Chancellor  House. 

It  would  have  been  easy  for  that  swift  contagion. of  fear 
to  have  seized  our  regiment,  the  most  of  the  men  and  offi 
cers  never  having  been  under  fire,  but  the  .young  trained 
colonel  knew  his  business ;  he  allowed  them  no  time  to  think 
of  anything  but  strict  attention  to  his  sharp  and  quickly-de 
livered  .commands  as  they  rang  out  in  that  din,  and  under 
a  galling  fire.  He  wheeled  us  by  squadron,  first  to  the  right, 
next  to  the  left,  advancing  them  by  regimental  front ;  again 
he  wheeled  us  as  before  but  to] the  left,  advancing  once  more 
with  the  entire  front,  and  these  swift  evolutions  so  occupied 
the  minds  of  the  men  that  they  had  no  time  to  think  of 

195 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

aught  else.  His  quick  eye  saw  everything.  Directly  athwart 
us,  a  battery  flying  in  retreat  at  a  gallop  came  to  a  sudden 
halt  because  of  a  ditch.  An  officer  yelled,  "Spike  the  guns." 
Our  colonel,  while  still  snapping  out  his  quick  commands, 
interjected  another  to  me,  "Sergeant,  go  and  stop  them  from 
spiking  those  guns."  I  was  then  in  charge  of  a  pioneer 
corps  of  two  men  from  each  of  our  twelve  companies,  and 
rny  twenty- four  men  were  equipped  mostly  .with  axes;  two 
had  picks  and  two  shovels.  As  the  pioneer  corps  rode  al 
ways  at  the  head  of  the  column  directly  behind  the  colonel, 
I  was  .the  nearest  to  him  just  at  that  moment.  Dashing  to 
ward  the  discomfited  artillerymen,  I  yelled  in  advance, 
"Don't  spike  those  guns;  we  will  get  you  over  the  ditch." 
The  answer  I  got  was,  "Who  the  hell  are [ you?"  Here  was 
a  state  of  things.  Technically  that  battery  was  under  its  own 
command,  and  I,  an  interloper,  yet  I  was  under  .orders  from 
the  ranking  officer  on  that  part  of  the  field.  Some  abomin 
able  epithets  were  hurled  as  they  snarled  at  us  .to  get  out 
and  attend  to  our  business,  and  for  a  moment  a  disgraceful 
scene  followed,  coming  to  blows,  finally,  with  some  of  .the 
men.  Dismounting  my  men,  picks  and  shovels  were  soon 
tearing  down  the  banks  of  that  ditch,  and  the  men,  with 
axes,  .chopped  every  sapling  in  the  vicinity,  flinging  in 
branches,  trunks,  old  stumps  and  debris,  until  we  got  the 
pieces  safely  over.  It  is  singular  why  the  officer  in  charge 
of  the  battery  did  not  see  that  a  .strong  cavalry  regiment 
right  there  would  have  to  be  whipped  before  they  could  get 
his  guns,  and  in  another  direction  he  could  have  seen  .Mar 
tin's  Sixth  New  York  Independent  Battery  coming  down  at 
a  gallop  from  the  direction  of  the  Chancellor  House,  but. in 
a  panic  one  does  not  know  what  may  not  happen  next.  As 
a  matter  of  digression  I  had  never. thought  it  possible  for  a 
battery  of  six  guns  to  fire  with  such  rapidity  as  did  Mar 
tin's  when  they  were  throwing  canister  at  short  range  into 
Jackson's  men. 

In  the  forenoon  of  that  Saturday,  returning  from  a  recon 
naissance  out  on  the  plank  road,  our  colonel  ordered  a  halt 
in  the  woods  and  directed  me  with  my; pioneers  to  build  an 
abattis  across  the  road,  and  fell  trees  on  either  side  from 

196 


MAKING   OF  A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

some  distance.  John  Esten  Cooke,  in  his  charming  story, 
"Eagle's  Nest,". mentions  this  obstruction  with  its  sharpened 
poles  sticking  out  toward  a  possible  advance,  and  it  was  be 
hind  this  abattis  that  the  North  Carolinans  were  crouched 
that  night  when  they  fired  into  Stonewall  Jackson  .and  his 
escort  coming  toward  them  on  the  plank  road. 

During  that  night  an  order  came  from  General  Pleasonton 
to  Colonel  Kellogg  to  send  out  a  detail  to  effect  junction 
with  General  Sickles  somewhere  down  deep  in  the  wilder 
ness.  As  I  was  directly  near  the  colonel  with  the  pioneers, 
he  ordered  me  to  go.  I  took  .the  men,  deployed  them  far 
apart  but  within  calling  distance  and  penetrated  the  thick 
undergrowth  and  darkness.  Twice,  when  challenged,  we 
were  fired  into,  when  I  turned  almost. at  right  angle.  Soon 
another  challenged,  and,  "Who  are  you?"  When  I  answered 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  a  cheerful  voice  replied, 
"You're  the  ones  we're  looking  for ;  get.  us  out  of  this  where 
we  can  connect  with  our  lines."  Thus,  I  claim  the  honor  of 
pulling  the  first  column  of  the  Third  Corps  out  into  .the 
open. 

In  the  further  making  of  the  volunteer  cavalryman,  our 
colonel,  fresh. from  the  regular  army,  vigorously  resorted  to 
the  weeding-out  of  many  of  our  officers  who  were  totally 
unfit  for  their  chosen  calling.  He  simply  compelled  them  to 
resign,  and  they  returned  to  their  homes  short. in  funds,  for 
they  had  purchased  gorgeous  uniforms,  fine  feathers  for 
their  hats  and  elaborately  decorated  sabres  and  pistols.  The 
stuff  for  cavalrymen  was  not  _in  them,  and  on  this  line  of 
thought,  as  we  recall  subsequent  service,  the  psychological 
problem  presents  itself :  Why  is  it  that  one  regiment  excels 
another?  Why  does  one  squadron,  or  company,  .even  in  a 
regiment,  surpass  in  efficiency  all  the  others  ?  It  would  seem 
that  men  raised  in  a  common  environment  with  similar  edu 
cation  and  advantages  ought  to  be  alike  when  put  under  the 
same  training ;  they  are  all  made  of  one  stuff,  same  calcium 
in  the  bones,  same  nitrogen  in  the  tissues,  same  iron  in  the 
blood,  same  cell  structure. in  the  brain,  yet  the  facts  show 
that  certain  regiments,  certain  squadrons,  yes,  even  cer 
tain  companies  are  classed  as  the  best.  What  can  it  be  but 

197 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

that  swift  contagion  of  inspiration  ?  The  making  of  the 
men  is  all  in  the  officers.  There  is  a  something  which  per 
meates,  as  does  the  psychic  force  of  a  man  transmitted  to 
the  horse. he  rides.  Fear  begets  fear;  confidence  begets  con 
fidence.  The  lack  of  initiative  in  small  matters  betrays  it 
self  and  the  men  feel  it.  A  volume  of  some  proportions 
might  be  filled  with  such  incidents,  but  one  of  a  kind  will  do 
for  illustration. 

In  that  hot  fight  at  Smithfield  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley, 
we  had  driven  .the  enemy's  cavalry  in  on  to  their  infantry, 
when  they,  in  turn,  forced  us  back.  Pushed  through  the 
small  village  we  found  ourselves  in  that  well  regulated  farm 
ing  section  where  the  fields  of  small  .size  are  set  off  by  sub 
stantial  stone  walls.  These  proved  a  hindrance  in  falling 
back,  especially  for  the  artillery,  and  much  more  so  to  us,  the 
cavalry.  Gaps  had  to.be  torn  to  let  us  out.  The  hard  pres 
sure  of  the  advancing  infantry  gave  us  all  we  wanted  to  at 
tend  to. 

Earlier  in  the  engagement,  the  commanding  officer  of  our 
regiment  for  that  day  (the  adjutant)  directed  me  to  detail 
a  squadron  to  go  down  a  full  mile  to  watch  on  the  left  flank. 
I  had  afterward  been  kept  busy  (as  we  were  continually 
falling  back)  riding  from  one  end  of  our  line  to  the  other, 
and  seeing  that  we  had  receded  so  far,  I  made  bold  to  in 
form  the  officer  in  command  that  the  two  companies  of  the 
Fourth  Squadron  were  left  in  an  exposed  situation.  With 
a  look  of  visible  agitation,  he  said,  "Blazes,  go  and  get  them 
out;  I  had  forgotten  them."  If  our  West  Point  colonel  had 
been  there  he  would  not  have  forgotten — he  never  forgot 
anything. 

Dashing  down  that  long  mile,  taking  the  fire  of  the  enemy 
all  the  way,  I  was  met. some  distance  from  his  command  by 
the  captain  of  the  squadron,  who  was  impatient,  scolding 
because  he  was  forgotten,  who  yelled,  "What  are  the  or 
ders?"  I  answered  at  that  distance,  "Get  back,"  and  with 
his  two  hundred  pounds  and  over  weight,  on  a  heavy  horse, 
he  began  loping  like  an  elephant  toward  his  line,  but  I  flew 
past  him,. and  catching  sight  of  one  of  my  former  slate-pick 
ers,  who  had  now  become  a  sergeant,  I  yelled,  "Take  four 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

men  to  the  stone  wall  and  tear  a  hole  wide  enough  for  a  col 
umn  of  fours."  No  slate  was  ever  thrown  from  a  coal 
breaker  as  were  those  stones  from  that  wall.  The  captain 
pulled  his  squadron  through.  I  staying  with  the  skirmish 
line  as  rear  guard,  covered  him,  the  enemy's  infantry  curl 
ing  around  us  like  a  rope.  Two  more  walls  were  broken  to 
let  us  out  in  safety,  when  Biglin,  the  Mulvaney  above  men 
tioned,  broke  the  silence,  "Glory  be,  adjutant,  but  you  got 
us  out  of  that  cursed  hole  foinely."  Here  was  my  .chance  to 
get  back  at  him,  and  I  answered,  "Biglin,  do  you  remember 
the  day  I  entered  Washington  Hall?  Well,  I  noticed  that 
when  I  was  riding  down  to  save  you  exposed  to  that  fire, 
you  didn't  bawl  out,  "Phwat's  that?" 

But  there's  no  use  in  trying  to  get  ahead  of  an  Irishman. 
With  his  wit  and  blarney,  he  came  back  at  me:  "Oh!  Adju 
tant,  when  yez  came  into  the  hall  that  day,  the  first  time  I 
ever  saw  yez,  ye  was  that  handsome  and  ilegant  young  gen 
tleman,  thatT  had  to  say  Thwat's  that.'  " 

I  cite  this  case  of  the  captain  as  one  of  many  where  the 
initiative  was  lacking.  If  I  had  not  arrived  he  would  have 
waited  for  orders  until  he  was  driven  by  the  .enemy  to  that 
stone  wall  which  must  have  occurred  in  a  few  seconds  more, 
and  seconds  count  on  a  fighting  field.  His  horses  could  not 
have  jumped  the  wall.  I  had  a  better  mount  than  any  in 
that  squadron,  yet  I  could  not  have  hurdled.it  even  with  my 
light  weight  riding  up  hill.  The  result  would  have  been  that 
his  men  in  desperation  would  have  abandoned  their  horses 
and  scaled  .the  wall  to  escape  capture.  By  that  time  they 
would  have  been  exposed  to  a  fire  from  three  sides,  for  they 
were  in  a  loop.  Why  the  captain  did  not  have  a  hole  in  that 
wall  ready  for  escape,  seeing  his  danger,  is  one  of  the 
strange  things  which  happen. 

Time  will  not  allow  a  further  relation  of  events  to  enforce 
a  consideration  of  the  initiative,  but  in  closing  I  beg  for  a 
moment  to  answer  the  gracious  and  genial  old  professor 
who  warned  me  that  I  would  suffer  in  after  life  if  I  lost  my 
graduation  and  .degree  at  college.  If  I  had  it  to  do  over 
again  I  would  prefer  the  three  years'  schooling  in  the  cav- 

199 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

airy  service,  to  the  two  remaining  years  in  college  with  its 
classical  and  philosophical  training. 

And  a  further  consolation  comes  to  me  when  I  tell  my 
children,  that  before  serving  one  full  year,  running  the  ga 
mut  of  all. promotions  up  to  first  sergeant,  I  was  sufficiently 
made  into  a  cavalryman  to  be  chosen,  at  twenty-one  years 
of  age,  by  a  West  Point  colonel,  adjutant  of  a  regiment, 
which  in  the  words  of  Major-general  Thomas  C.  Devin, 
under  whom  it  had  served  from  the  foundation  of  the  Cav 
alry  Corps  to  Appomattox,  "was  as  good  a  cavalry  regiment 
as  ever  entered  the  .service." 

A  comrade  of  the  regiment  who  enlisted  at  sixteen  years 
of  age,  who  never  rose  higher  than  a  non-commissioned 
officer  and  who  never  missed  a  roll  call  in  three  years,  now 
a  prosperous  banker  in  central  Pennsylvania,  said  to  me 
when  on  a  recent  visit  to  Washington,  "Do  you  know  that 
I  am  almost. ashamed  when  my  neighbors  ask  me  how  many 
engagements  I  went  through;  I  fear  they  will  not  believe 
me,  but  I  have  the  record,  and  they  number  101  without  the 
skirmishes." 

I  answered  that  I,  too,  was  reluctant  to  talk  about  them, 
but  I  counted  differently.  I  number  the  engagements  fifty- 
six  and  the  skirmishes  over  eighty  that  I  went  through,  and 
in  enumerating  the  latter  I  do  not  count  sniping  and  pot 
shooting.  I  call  it  an  engagement  when  a  good  battle  line 
was  formed  .and  fought  on,  and  where  artillery  was  used. 
Many  of  these,  to  be  sure,  were  where  only  our  brigade  par 
ticipated.  What  I  call  a  skirmish  is  where  a  determined  and 
well  defined  line  was  shooting  to  kill  an  equally  deployed 
and  persistent  line,  though  the  reserves  were  not  wholly  call 
ed  into  action.  But,  whatever  the  number,  soldiers  wrho 
know  the  history  of  the  First  Division  of  the  Cavalry  Corps 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and  the  Shenandoah  will  not 
be  staggered  when  they  hear  such  an  estimate. 

At  a  .Grand  Army  encampment,  a  group  of  newspaper 
men  were  discussing  the  interesting  columns  of  the  Phila- 
'delphia  Inquirer,  which  was  reprinting  the  war  news  just  as 
it  was  published  in  war  time  from  day  to  day,  and  one  said 
to  me:  "You  cavalry  had  a  great  many  skirmishes,  I  see; 

200 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

but  in  the  heavier  engagements,  Kilpatrick  did  most  of  the 
fighting,  didn't  he  ?"  I  simply  answered,  "My  friend,  Gen 
eral  Kilpatrick,  who  commanded  the  Third  Division  of  the 
Cavalry  Corps,  did  good  service,  and  no  one,  I  hope,  would 
wish  to  lessen  it  in  the  least,  but  the  First  Division,  under 
General  Buford,  and  the  Second  under  Gregg,  also  are  en 
titled  to  a  share  of  honor  in  cavalry  achievements,  and  the 
reason  why  you  do  not  see  longer  articles  touching  them  is 
because  you  are  not  acquainted  with  a  bit  of  unwritten  his 
tory  which  may  explain." 

General  Buford,  who,  many  of  us  claim,  was  the  best  cav 
alry  officer  ever  produced  on  this  continent,  enforced  a  rule 
that  no  newspaper  correspondent  should  be  quartered  with 
the  staff  of  his  division.  General  Wesley  Merritt,  who  suc 
ceeded  him  after  the  lamented  death  in  December,  1863, 
adhered  to  the  same  rule.  It  could  hardly  be  expected  that 
long  descriptions  of  cavalry  engagements  with  big  "scare 
lines"  for  headings  could  appear  under  such  an  existing 
state  of  things. 

This  modest,  dignified  bearing  was  ever  a  characteristic 
feature  of  the  First  Cavalry  Division,  and  it  had  its  salu 
tary  effect  in  .the  making  of  the  volunteer  cavalryman,  and 
herein  is  where  I  wish  to  again  answer  the  kindly  old  pro 
fessor,  who  warned  me  that  army  life  would  have  a  ten 
dency  to  change  my  ideals.  It  did  change  my  ideals.  My 
preconceived  notions  (boyish,  of  course,  I  admit)  that  a 
typical  cavalryman  was  a  swashbuckler,  who  rode  terrifically 
with  his  sabre  gripped  by  his  teeth,  a  revolver. in  each  hand 
and  his  breath  almost  aflame  as  it  spurted  from  his 
nostrils,  all  disappeared,  and  in  lieu  thereof  we  saw  the 
grand,  immortal  Buford,  a  veritable  likeness  of  a  gracious 
judge  of  the  eighteenth  century,  his  benign  face  always  in 
a  smile,  his  white  necktie  cut  evenly  square  as  the  two  wide 
laps  hung  down  on  his  high-buttoned  coat,  placid  as  a  cour 
tier,  charming  as  a  picture  of  the  old  school  of  gentlemen, 
and  as  affectionate  and  magnetic  as  a  confiding  child,  and, 
in  all  this,  he  was  really  and  truly  the  terrific  cavalryman  of 
our  war  history. 

General  Merritt,  too,  had  that  genial  though  rather  more 

201 


MAKING   OF   A   VOLUNTEER   CAVALRYMAN 

reticent  demeanor,  and  left  his  impress  on  us,  the  young 
volunteer  cavalrymen,  in  the  making.  Then,  too,  we  had  al 
ways  with  us  the  reserve  brigade,  the  regulars.  They  ex 
erted  an  improving  influence  on  us.  Speaking  generally,  the 
officers  were  of  a  superior  order  of  men  in  chivalrous  de 
portment;  they  knew  more  than  did  we,  and  we  had  strong 
common  sense  enough  to  know  it.  Space  will  not  allow  the 
justice  due  them  in  this  paper,  but  take  one,  a  type,  Roden- 
bough,  Captain  Rodenbough  as  we  first  knew  him,  General 
Rodenbough  afterward.  His  case  will  illustrate  the  points  for 
the  others.  What  a  superb,  magnificent  specimen  of  manhood 
— a  right  down  royally  good  cavalryman,  yet  as  graceful 
and. accomplished,  always  as  if  bound  by  the  social  conven 
tions  of  a  drawing  room,  and  as  genial  in  greeting  on  all 
times  and  occasions  as  if  a  comrade  with  his  playfellows. 
How  we  provincial  youngsters  from  the  country  aped  those 
cosmopolitan,  well-bred  men.  Was  there  anything  of  super 
cilious  affectation  in  all  this?  It  was  the  making  of  us  in 
our  deportment  in  after  life.  It  was  the  tenacious  clinging 
to  our  newly-found  ideals,  for  they  had  veritably  changed. 


202 


JAMES  A.  CLARK. 
Lieutenant  and  Adjutant,  Washington,  D. 


C. 


LIEUTENANT  JAMES  ALBERT  CLARK. 

ADJUTANT  OF  THE  REGIMENT,  WASHINGTON,  D.  C. 

Lieutenant  James  Albert  Clark  was  born  in  the  city  of 
New  York,  December  26,  1841.  He  received  a  good  aca 
demic  education.  Early  in  life  he  developed  a  craving  for 
scientific  subjects.  His  studies  were  interrupted,  however, 
by  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War. 

On  September  21,  1862,  he  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Com 
pany  K,  Sevententh  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer 
Cavalry  which  was  recruited  at  Scranton,  Pa-  December 
19,  1862,  he  was  made  a  corporal;  January  n,  1863,  a  duty 
sergeant;  August  i,  1863,  first  sergeant  of  his  company; 
and,  on  November  n,  1863,  he  was  commissioned  as  first 
lieutenant  and  promoted  over  twenty-four  lieutenants  of  the 
regiment  for  bravery  at  the  Battle  of  Chancellorsville,  be 
ing  appointed  by  Colonel  J.  H.  Kellogg  as  adjutant  of  the 
regiment.  He  was  a  skilled  horseman  and  a  gallant  soldier. 
He  participated  in  all  of  the  battles  and  skirmishes  in  which 
the  regiment  was  engaged  up  to  and  including  the  battle  of 
Winchester,  W.  Va.,  September  19,  1864,  when  he  was  cap 
tured  by  the  Sixth  Virginia  Confederate  Cavalry.  He  entered 
Libby  Prison,  September  22,  1864;  was  transferred  to  Salis 
bury,  N.  C.,  in  October,  1864;  to  Danville,  in  November, 
1864;  and  returned  to  Libby  Prison,  February  18,  1865; 
paroled  from  Libby  Prison,  February  21,  1865;  and  de 
clared  exchanged  some  time  in  April,  1865,  on  account  of 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  rejoined  the  regiment,  May  i, 
1865. 

He  sustained  three  slight  wounds  in  the  following  battles : 
Upperville,  June  21,  1863;  Cold  Harbor,  June  i,  1864,  and 
Winchester,  September  19,  1864.  He  was  mustered  out 
with  the  regiment  at  Clouds  Mills,  Va.,  June  16,  1865-  After 
the  close  of  the  war  he  returned  to  Scranton,  Pa.,  where 
he  established  the  "Scranton  Daily  Times"  which  paper  he 
edited  for  a  number  of  years.  He  then  moved  to  Laurel, 
Maryland,  where  he  founded  the  "Free  Quill." 

203 


LIEUTENANT  JAMES  ALBERT  CLARK 

Later  he  entered  the  Bureau  of  Immigration  at  Wash 
ington,  D.  C.  which  position  he  held  at  his  death,  being 
highly  esteemed  by  his  associates.  He  was  the  author  of 
"A  History  of  the  Lackawanna  and  Wyoming  Valleys"  and 
"A  Theosophist's  View."  He  was  a  member  of  the  Philo 
sophical  Society,  Anthropological  Society,  and  other  scien 
tific  associations. 

He  died  at  Baltimore,  Maryland,  October  12,  1908.  His 
remains  were  deposited  in  Arlington  Cemetery  with  befitting 
military  honors. 


204 


Jmi  \    \\   Ross. 
Lieutenant  and  OuanrnnasUT,  Y  import.   I'a. 


LIEUTENANT  JOHN  P.  ROSS. 

THE  REGIMENTAL  COMMISSARY,  VANPORT,  PA. 

One  of  the  most  popular  men  in  the  regiment  was  our 
regimental  commissary,  Lieutenant  John  P.  Ross.  Except 
ing  Captain  William  Tice,  of  Company  E,  he  served  in  his 
original  position  longer  than  any  other  commissioned  officer 
in  the  regiment.  Captain  William  Tice,  of  Company  E,  was 
commissioned,  September  19,  1862,  and  because  he  had 
made  a  pledge  to  remain  with  his  company  as  long  as  his 
physical  condition  would  permit,  he  refused  all  promotions 
and  remained  with  and  in  command  of  his  company  until 
its  muster  out,  June  16,  1865.  Lieutenant  John  P.  Ross 
enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  A,  September  6,  1862, 
was  promoted  to  commissary  sergeant  of  the  company, 
November  i,  1862 ;  was  promoted  to  regimental  commissary 
and  member  of  the  regimental  staff  with  the  rank  of  first 
lieutenant,  May  26,  1863  5  and  served  continuously  in  that 
capacity,  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  the  regimental  com 
manders,  until  his  muster  out,  June  20,  1865. 

He  was  born  at  Industry,  Pa.,  January  5,  1843,  and  in  his 
earlier  years  assisted  his  father  in  the  mercantile  business. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  entered  the  Beaver  Academy,  and 
at  the  age  of  eighteen  accepted  a  clerical  position  at  New 
Castle,  Pa.  In  1861  he  received  an  appointment  as  clerk  in 
the  commissary  department  of  the  Pennsylvania  Reserve 
Corps,  then  located  at  Pierpoint,  Virginia,  and  was  present 
during  the  battle  of  Dranesville,  Va.,  in  December,  1861. 

He  remained  with  the  Reserve  Corps  through  the  spring 
campaign  of  1862,  after  which  he  resigned  his  position  for 
the  purpose  of  entering  the  cavalry  service-  He  enlisted 
in  the  Irwin  Cavalry  Company,  then  being  recruited  in 
Beaver  county,  which  later  was  attached  to  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry  as  Company  A. 
His  experience  and  knowledge  of  the  commissary  depart 
ment  at  once  attracted  the  attention  of  his  commanding  offi 
cers  and  secured  for  him  the  position  he  so  acceptably  filled 
during  his  entire  service. 

205 

14 — 17th  R. 


LIEUTENANT  JOHN   P.   ROSS 

To  those  who  are  not  familiar  with  the  details  which 
governed  the  commissary  department,  it  may  not  be  out  of 
place  in  this  connection  to  give  a  synopsis  of  the  allowance 
per  man  and  the  system  that  obtained  in  issuing  the  rations 
tc  the  men. 

Army  regulations  required  the  commissary  sergeants  of 
each  company  to  make  reports  of  the  number  of  men  in 
their  respective  companies  entitled  to  receive  rations.  These 
reports,  if  found  correct,  were  approved  by  the  company 
commanders  and  forwarded  to  the  regimental  commissary, 
accompanied  with  a  requisition  for  the  number  of  rations 
required.  The  regimental  commissary  would  then  consoli 
date  such  requisitions  and  submit  them  to  the  adjutant  of 
the  regiment  for  verification  with  the  morning  reports.  If 
found  correct,  they  were  approved  by  the  regimental  com 
mander  and  forwarded  to  brigade,  division,  corps  and  de 
partment  headquarters.  v  Issues  were  then  made  in  the  re 
verse  order.  From  department  to  corps,  to  division,  to 
brigade,  to  regiment,  and  to  company.  Each  officer  receiv 
ing  the  same  was  obliged  to  receipt  for  the  number  and 
kind  of  rations  received,  and  was  required  to  make  a  re 
port,  at  least  once  a  month,  or  oftener  if  deemed  necessary, 
of  all  the  subsistence  so  received  and  issued. 

The  following  formed  the  basis  upon  which  the  rations 
were  computed  and  issued,  viz, :  A  ration  consisted  of  twelve 
ounces  of  pork  or  bacon,  or  one  pound  and  four  ounces  of 
salt  or  fresh  beef ;  one  pound  and  six  ounces  of  soft  bread, 
or  one  pound  and  four  ounces  of  corn  meal,  and  to  every 
one  hundred  rations,  fifteen  pounds  of  beans  or  peas ;  ten 
pounds  of  rice  or  hominy ;  ten  pounds  of  ground  coffee,  or 
one  pound  and  eight  ounces  of  tea ;  fifteen  pounds  of  sugar ; 
four  quarts  of  vinegar ;  one  pound  and  four  ounces  adaman 
tine  candles ;  twelve  ounces  of  salt ;  four  ounces  of  pepper ; 
thirty  pounds  of  potatoes  when  practicable ;  and  one  quart 
of  molasses.  The  reader  must  not  presume,  however,  that 
the  above  regulations  were  always  followed  strictly.  Fre 
quently  conditions  obtained  that  made  it  impossible  to  do 
so,  but  the  above  conveys  a  reasonably  correct  description 
of  the  kind  and  quantity  of  subsistence  that  was  issued  to 

206 


LIEUTENANT  JOHN   P.   ROSS 

the  men,  although  frequently  of  inferior  quality.  When  the 
regiment  was  in  regular  quarters  the  duties  of  the  com 
missary  department  could  be  performed  fairly  well,  but  when 
on  the  march,  with  meager  facilities  at  command,  the  duties 
of  the  department  were  frequently  most  arduous  and  the 
responsibility  great. 

Another  very  important  department  in  military  life  was 
the  quartermaster's  department.  The  officer  who  had 
charge  of  this  department  also  ranked  as  first  lieutenant, 
and  was  also  a  member  of  the  regimental  staff.  He  had 
charge  of  and  was  responsible  for  such  supplies  as,  clothing, 
camp  and  garrison  equipage,  horses,  mules,  harness,  wagons, 
ambulances,  forage,  tents,  blankets,  and  a  thousand  other 
details  not  otherwise  specially  provided  for.  This  depart 
ment  of  the  regiment  was  very  efficiently  served  by  Lieu 
tenant  John  Anglun,  until  May  30,  1864,  when,  during  the 
battle  of  Old  Church  Tavern,  he  was  killed.  Lieutenant 
John  P.  Ross,  the  regimental  commissary,  was  appointed 
to  take  temporary  charge  of  the  department  and  continued 
tc  serve  in  that  capacity  until  the  muster  out  of  the  regi 
ment.  The  responsibilities  of  the  quartermaster's  depart 
ment  and  working  details  were  about  the  same  as  those  of 
the  commissary  department.  I  venture  the  opinion  that, 
if  the  history  of  the  war  were  impartially  written  it  would 
be  found  that  the  commissary  and  quartermaster's  depart 
ments  contributed  their  full  share  to  the  success  of  -the 
victories  won,  for  unless  the  men  were  well  fed  and  pro 
perly  equipped  they  could  not  march  and  fight. 

Lieutenant  Ross  was  well  qualified  to  perform  the  duties 
of  both  commissary  and  quartermaster  of  the  regiment,  and 
was  always  on  hand  in  good  time  when  subsistence  and  sup 
plies  were  to  be  issued- 


207 


EXTRACTS   FROM   ANNALS   OF   THE   WAR. 

BY  BREVET  LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  THEODORE  W.   BEAN,  SEVEN 
TEENTH  REGIMENT,  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEER  CAVALRY. 

As  a  prelude  to  this  chapter  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to 
state  that  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Theodore  W.  Bean 
was  prominently  identified  with  the  regiment  and  partici 
pated  in  all  of  its  campaigns  up  to  and  including  the  first 
day's  fight  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  It  was  during  this 
engagement  that  Captain  Bean  attracted  the  attention  of  his 
division  commander,  General  John  Buford,  who,  after  the 
battle,  called  him  to  division  headquarters  and  placed  him 
on  staff  duty  as  provost  marshal.  He  continued  to  serve  as 
a  member  of  General  Buford's  staff  until  the  death  of  that 
officer,  and  subsequently  on  the  staffs  of  Generals  Merritt 
and  Torbert,  who  subsequently  commanded  the  division, 
remaining  with  the  latter  until  the  surrender  of  the  Army 
of  Northern  Virginia,  at  Appomatox,  April  Qth,  1865.  This 
gave  him  splendid  opportunities  for  observations,  and,  as 
the  regiment  was  never  detached  from  the  division  with 
which  he  was  identified  as  a  staff  officer,  the  details  referred 
to  invariably  connect  the  regiment  and  are  a  part  of  its  his 
tory. 

The  military  operations  of  Major-general  Sheridan  in 
the  Shenandoah  Valley,  beginning  on  the  4th  of  August, 
1864,  and  terminating  with  the  James  River  raid  in  the  fol 
lowing  winter,  were  important  in  results  to  the  armies  of 
both  Generals  Grant  and  Lee.  The  exigencies  of  the  ser 
vice  which  induced  the  lieutenant-general  to  assign  General 
Sheridan  to  this  department  were  of  grave  character,  and 
when  the  history  in  detail  of  the  movements  of  Sheridan  and 
Early  are  authentically  disclosed  they  will  be  read  with  as 
much  interest  as  have  been  the  stories  of  romance,  founded 
by  writers  of  fiction  in  the  lovely  valley  so  terribly  devas 
tated  by  advancing  and  retreating  armies.  The  Union  forces 
consisted  of  the  Sixth,  Eighth  and  a  part  of  the  Nineteenth 
Corps,  and  three  light  divisions  of  cavalry,  about  thirty 
thousand  effectives.  Our  first  novel  experience  in  this  cam- 

208 


EXTRACTS  FROM  ANNALS  OF  WAR 

paign  occurred  on  the  James  River  enroute  to  the  capital, 
to  which  point  troops  were  hastened  to  meet  General  Early, 
who  was  marching  on  Washington  after  his  success  at 
Monocacy  Junction.  I  had  charge  of  the  squadron  of  the 
Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  attached  to 
division  headquarters,  field  books  and  large  quantity  of 
ordnance  stores  loaded  on  the  James  R.  Spaulding,  a  fine 
wooden  propeller  then  doing  transport  duty  for  the  govern 
ment.  The  captain  lashed  two  barges  on  the  danger  side  of 
the  steamer  going  down  the  river  and  loaded  them  with 
horses. 

We  left  City  Point  a  little  after  sunrise,  followed  by  the 
United  States  mail  boat,  with  many  passengers  on  board. 
All  went  merrily  until  we  were  five  or  six  miles  down  the 
river,  when,  sudden  as  a  thunder-clap,  a  well-manned  field 
battery  opened  on  us  from  the  northern  shore  with  a  vigor 
and  effectiveness  that  did  soldierly  credit  to  the  gunners  in 
charge.  Shell  and  solid  shot  came  thick  and  fast,  a  missile 
cut  a  guy  rope  off  close  to  the  head  of  the  pilot  at  his  post, 
ft  shell  buried  itself  in  the  timbers  of  the  vessel  within  a  few 
inches  of  the  boiler,  several  solid  shots  tore  through  the 
barges,  killing  and  disabling  upward  of  a  dozen  fine  cavalry 
horses.  The  men  on  board  took  cover  naturally  enough,  and 
while  shells  exploded  over  the  deck  of  the  vessel,  none  were 
seriously  hurt,  but  all  felt  themselves  at  the  mercy  of  the 
enemy  without  a  chance  to  resist  the  attack,  as  the  vessel 
was  unarmed  and  the  battery  was  beyond  the  reach  of  the 
carbines.  When  the  guns  opened  on  the  Spaulding  the  mail 
boat  was  perhaps  two  hundred  yards  in  our  rear.  She  imme 
diately  turned  about  and  put  back  to  City  Point. 

The  captain  of  the  Spaulding  put  on  all  steam  possible  and 
ran  the  gauntlet.  We  can  recall  no  instance,  when  under 
fire,  that  we  felt  so  utterly  helpless  as  while  a  conspicuous 
and  floating  target  for  the  Confederate  artillerists  on  the 
James  River  about  the  first  day  of  August,  1864.  Upon 
reaching  Washington  the  troops,  horses  and  stores  were 
landed,  and  we  reported  to  General  Custer,  then  in  camp 
near  Georgetown,  and  on  the  following  day  marched  for 
Harper's  Ferry.  The  weather  was  very  hot,  but  recent 

209 


EXTRACTS  FROM  ANNALS  OF  WAR 

rains  had  laid  all  dust,  and  the  march  was  one  of  the  few 
pleasant  ones  that  we  recall.  Sheridan's  concentration  of 
troops  at  Harper's  Ferry  and  Halltown  was  fully  effected 
by  August  loth,  and  his  hunt  for  General  Early  began.  He 
was  found  in  position  at  and  near  Bunker  Hill,  about  twelve 
miles  south  of  Martinsburg,,  with  a  destructive  hand  on 
the  line  of  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad,  rendering  it 
useless  to  the  government,  and  commanding  the  occupation 
of  the  great  valley  south  and  west  of  the  Opequon  River. 
Sheridan's  movement  was  in  the  direction  of  Winchester. 
His  intention  was,  after  securing  the  fords  on  the  Opequon, 
to  press  on  toward  Winchester,  where  he  supposed  General 
Early  would  give  battle. 

In  this  he  was  mistaken,  as  the  advance  of  the  cavalry 
under  General  Torbert  on  the  Millwood  pike,  in  the  direc 
tion  of  Kearntown,  found  the  enemy  in  full  retreat  up  the 
valley.  A  vigorous  pursuit  followed,  via  the  Front  Royal 
turnpike,  coming  up  with  Breckenridge's  division  of  infan 
try  at  Newton,  in  position  to  cover  the  exposed  flank  and 
rear  of  Early's  army.  This  division  successfully  resisted 
the  dismounted  cavalry  in  an  assault  upon  it,  and  subse 
quently  retired  under  cover  of  the  darkness  on  the  night  of 
August  nth.  On  the  I2th  the  command  occupied  the  line 
of  Cedar  Creek,  the  left  extending  to  Front  Royal. 

Late  in  the  afternoon  of  August  i6th,  the  enemy,  under 
Generals  Kershaw  and  Fitz  Lee,  sought  to  force  their  way 
into  the  valley  at  Front  Royal.  This  point  was  guarded  by 
the  First  Division  of  the  cavalry,  commanded  by  General 
Merritt.  The  attack  of  the  enemy  was  anticipated.  The  ad 
vantages  of  the  field  were  with  the  Union  troops,  who  met 
them  at  the  ford  over  the  Shenandoah  and  inflicted  severe 
punishment  upon  the  advance  before  their  supports  could 
get  into  position.  General  Custer  led  the  Michigan  Bri 
gade,  the  men  fighting  dismounted.  They  were  armed  with 
Spencer  carbines,  and  in  the  hands  of  the  Western  veterans 
the  work  of  driving  back  the  infantry  was  effectually  done, 
capturing  two  battle-flags  and  three  hundred  prisoners.  A 
brigade  of  cavalry,  said  to  be  General  Wickham's,  was 
squarely  met  by  Colonel  Deven's  Second  Brigade  of  the 

210 


EXTRACTS  FROM  ANNALS  OF  WAR 

First  Division,  and  forced  in  much  confusion  over  the  nar 
row  ford  about  sundown.  Colonel  Thomas  C.  Deven  was 
wounded  in  the  foot  and  for  his  gallantry  in  leading  his  bri 
gade  on  this  occasion  was  made  a  brevet  brigadier-general. 
The  event  disclosed  beyond  all  doubt  that  Early  was  being 
reinforced,  and  that  fact  put  Sheridan  on  his  guard.  The 
following  order  was  promulgated  on  the  night  after  the 
fight  at  Front  Royal : 

HEADQUARTERS  MIDDLE  MILITARY  DIVISION, 

CEDAR  CREEK,  VA.,  August  16,  1864. 

In  compliance  with  instructions  of  the  Lieutenant-general  com 
manding,  you  will  make  the  necessary  arrangements  and  give  the 
necessary  orders  for  the  destruction  of  the  wheat  and  hay  south 
of  a  line  from  Millwood  to  Winchester  and  Petticoat  Gap.  You 
will  seize  all  mules,  horses  and  cattle  that  may  be  useful  to  our 
army.  Loyal  citizens  can  bring  in  their  claims  against  the  govern 
ment  for  this  necessary  destruction. 

P.  H.  SHERIDAN, 
Major-general  Commanding. 

On  the  iSth  the  troops  retired  to  the  lines  established  in 
front  of  Charlestown,  and  the  above  order  was  carried  out  to 
the  letter  by  the  rear  guard  of  the  cavalry.  Previously  the 
burning  of  supplies  and  outbuildings  had  been  incidental  to 
battles,  but  now  the  torch  was  applied  deliberately  and  in 
tentionally.  Stacks  of  hay  and  straw,  and  barns  rilled  with 
crops  harvested,  mills,  corn-cribs ;  in  a  word,  all  supplies  of 
use  to  man  or  beast  were  promptly  burned  and  all  valuable 
cattle  driven  off  over  the  area  of  country  designated  in  the 
order.  The  work  of  destruction  seemed  cruel  and  the  dis 
tress  it  occasioned  among  the  people  of  all  ages  and  sexes 
>vas  evident  on  every  hand.  The  officers  and  soldiers  who 
performed  the  details  of  this  distressing  work  were  met  at 
every  farm  or  home  by  old  men,  women  and  children  in 
tears,  begging  and  beseeching  those  in  charge  to  save  them 
from  the  appalling  ruin. 

These  scenes  of  burning  and  destruction,  which  were  only 
the  prelude  to  those  which  followed  at  a  later  day  further 
up  the  valley,  were  attended  with  sorrow  to  families  and 
added  horrors  to  the  usual  brutalities  of  war,  unknown  to 

211 


EXTRACTS  FROM  ANNALS  OF  WAR 

any  other  field  operations  in  the  so-called  Confederacy.  The 
few  Union  people,  old  men,  women  and  children,  could  not 
be  made  to  understand  the  utility  or  necessity  of  the  meas 
ure,  while  the  outspoken  Confederates  heaped  upon  us  male 
dictions,  vowing  that  the  North  would  yet  be  successfully 
invaded  by  their  sons,  brothers  and  friends,  and  desolated 
in  like  manner.  The  common  hatred  of  open  foes  seemed 
to  deepen,  and  to  blot  out  forever  all  hope  of  future  good 
will  between  North  and  South. 

The  troops  came  into  camp  loaded  down  with  supplies  for 
man  and  beast,  while  droves  of  cattle,  sheep,  hogs  and  many 
good  and  serviceable  horses  and  mules  were  turned  over  to 
the  quartermaster's  department.  Affairs  had  now  reached 
a  climax  in  the  great  valley  where  Confederate  chieftains 
had  won  their  proudest  victories,  and  where  unsuccessful 
Union  commanders  for  three  years  successively  shared  de 
feats  and  retreats,  loss  of  men  and  reputation. 

GENERAL  EARLY  REINFORCED. 

The  reinforcements  sent  General  Early  about  the  middle 
of  August,  giving  to  that  officer  an  army  of  thirty  thousand, 
as  estimated  by  General  Sheridan,  was  strongly  indicative 
of  the  determination  of  General  Lee  and  President  Davis. 
And  the  fact  that  they  were  obliged  to  recall  them  from  a 
field  so  important  to  the  Confederacy  as  the  Shenandoah 
Valley,  when  it  was  absolutely  necessary  to  retain  them 
there  in  order  to  hold  it,  proved  that  Grant's  system  of 
"pounding"  in  1864  was  more  effective  than  McClellan's 
"strategy"  in  1862.  It  also  proved  that  Lee's  resources  were 
actually  limited  to  the  defensive  operations  in  front  of  Rich 
mond,  and  that  the  period  of  his  aggressive  movements  was 
at  an  end.  In  the  light  of  subsequent  events  these  conclu 
sions  became  self-evident;  but  at  the  time  referred  to  this 
was  by  no  means  so  clear.  Sheridan  knew  that  Early  had 
been  reinforced ;  he  believed  that  his  adversary  had  about 
an  equal  force  to  his ;  he  knew  they  were  veteran  troops, 
well  officered,  well  armed  and  equipped;  he  knew  that  they 
were  subsisting  in  one  of  the  best  agricultural  regions  in 
the  Confederacy;  that  they  held  the  field  of  many  victories 

212 


EXTRACTS  FROM  ANNALS  OF  WAR 

for  the  Confederates,  associated  with  a  soldierly  pride — and 
in  a  comprehensive  sense,  it  was  the  right  wing  and  arm  of 
Lee ;  he  believed  that  if  he  struck  a  blow  it  must  be  a  vigor 
ous  and  effective  one,  and  that  it  would  be  bravely  resisted. 
Confident  that  his  great  leader  would  compel  the  return  of 
the  troops  sent  Early,  his  anxiety  and  perplexity  was  in 
promptly  ascertaining  the  time. 

No  fortifications  or  entrenchments  protected  either  army. 
The  lines  were  only  from  five  to  six  miles  apart,  and  every 
square  mile  between  them  was  disputed  ground  by  day  and 
night;  vigilance,  ceaseless  vigilance,  was  the  watchword  in 
both  armies.  The  time  came  when  General  Sheridan  be 
lieved  Grant's  call  upon  Lee  had  been  or  was  to  be  respond 
ed  to.  Scout,  spy,  reconnoissance,  surprises  and  captures 
of  outposts, — all  these  well-known  expedients,  still  left  the 
one  question  in  doubt — had  Lee  called  back  his  troops? 
One  more  expedient  was  suggested,  originating  with  Gen 
eral  Crook,  then  in  command  of  the  Eighth  Corps,  viz : 
Correspondence  with  a  loyal  girl  then  residing  in  Win 
chester,  in  the  person  of  Miss  Rebecca  M.  Wright.  The 
lady  was  well  known  to  General  Crook,  but  she  had  no 
acquaintance  whatever  with  General  Sheridan.  The  work 
of  having  the  correspondence  carried  through  Early's  lines 
was  promptly  arranged  for  by  employing  a  colored  man, 
who,  at  the  time  resided  between-  the  hostile  lines  and 
whose  occupation  was  that  of  a  huckster  of  fruits  and  vege 
tables.  The  name  of  this  colored  man  is  unknown,  also 
that  of  the  scout,  owing  to  the  loss  of  General  Sheridan's 
papers  in  the  great  Chicago  fire.  The  following  is  the  cor 
respondence  : 

"September  15,  1864. 

"I  learn  from  Major-general  Crook  that  you  are  a  loyal  lady  and 
still  love  the  old  flag.  Can  you  inform  me  of  the  position  of 
Early's  forces,  the  number  of  divisions  in  his  army,  the  strength  of 
any  or  all  of  them,  and  his  probable  or  reported  intentions?  Have 
any  more  troops  arrived  from  Richmond,  or  are  any  more  coming 
or  reported  to  be  coming? 

"I  am,  very  respectfully,  your  most  obedient  servant, 

"P.  H.  SHERIDAN, 
"Major-general  Commanding." 

"You  can  trust  the  bearer." 

2I3 


EXTRACTS  FROM  ANNALS  OF  WAR 

"September  16,  1864. 

"I  have  no  communication  whatever  with  the  Confederates,  but 
will  tell  you  what  I  do  know.  The  division  of  General  Kershaw 
and  Cutshaw's  Artillery,  twelve  guns  and  men,  General  Anderson 
commanding,  have  been  sent  away ;  and  no  more  are  expected,  as 
they  cannot  be  spared  from  Richmond.  I  do  not  know  how  the 
troops  are  situated,  but  the  force  is  much  smaller  than  represented. 
I  will  take  pleasure  hereafter  in  learning  all  I  can  of  their  strength 
and  position,  and  the  bearer  may  call  again. 

"Very  respectfully  yours, 


General  Sheridan  rode  from  the  battlefield  of  Opequon 
to  the  town  of  Winchester,  in  front  of  which  the  last  stand 
was  made  by  Early's  army,  and  called  on  Miss  Wright  the 
same  evening.  It  was  at  her  home  that  he  wrote  his  de 
spatch  to  the  government  officials  at  Washington,  announc 
ing  his  success. 

The  battle  of  Fisher's  Hill  was  fought  September  22, 
1864,  three  days  after  the  engagement  at  Opequon.  It  was 
quite  a  brilliant  affair ;  and,  but  for  the  failure  of  the  chief 
of  cavalry,  General  Torbert,  to  be  able  to  carry  out  the  plan 
cf  General  Sheridan,  General  Early's  army  would  have 
been  destroyed  or  captured. 

In  the  occupation  of  the  valley,  Sheridan  extended  to 
Harrisonburg  and  Mount  Jackson  with  infantry,  his  cav 
alry  covering  the  country*  from  Port  Republic  to  Staunton. 
He  remained  in  this  position,  subsisting  his  forces  upon  the 
country,  until  October  6th,  when  Grant's  famous  order  of 
destruction  was  promulgated,  and  the  work  of  burning  out 
the  valley  began,  which  continued  for  three  successive  days. 
The  discomfiture  of  General  Early  was  attributed  to  the 
want  of  cavalry.  To  overcome  this  difficulty  he  was  rein 
forced  by  two  additional  brigades,  and  a  new  chief  of  that 
arm  was  sent  him  in  the  person  of  Major-general  Rosser. 
The  new  and  dashing  leader  came  to  the  field  of  peril  ac 
companied  with  flaming  posters,  one  of  which,  given  the 
writer  by  a  Union  soldier,  was  found  on  the  door  of  a  grist 
mill  near  Port  Republic,  viz : 

"PATRIOTS  OF  THE  VALLEY:  Once  more  to  the  rescue  of  your 
homes  and  firesides.  Dream  not  of  peace  or  submission  as  long 

214 


EXTRACTS  FROM  ANNALS  OF  WAR 

as  the  feet  of  Northern  vandals  desecrate  your  own  native  soil. 
Temporary  reverses  have  befallen  our  arms  in  this  department; 
despair  not.  The  government  of  your  choice  has  declared  its 
speedy  redemption  paramount  to  its  present  and  final  triumph,  and 
confidently  appeals  to  the  patriotic  impulses  of  the  masses.  Rally. 
Organize,  and  report  mounted  to 

"Rosser,  Major-general." 

By  7  a.  m.  on  the  morning  of  October  6th  the  infantry 
were  well  on  their  way  toward  New  Market,  while  the  cav 
alry  was  thrown  forward  to  near  Staunton  en  masse  to 
support  light  brigades  sent  in  the  direction  of  Waynesboro 
and  Port  Republic,  from  which  detachments  of  small  bodies 
were  directed  to  find  their  way  by  public  and  private  roads 
to  all  property  that  was  to  be  destroyed.  This  included  all 
mills,  barns,  outhouses,  containing  straw,  grain  or  hay, — in 
a  word,  everything,  even  to  corn  in  the  shock,  excepting 
only  the  dwellings  in  which  the  inhabitants  lived;  also,  to 
drive  off  all  stock  that  moved  upon  hoofs,  and  if,  for  any 
reason,  the  same  could  not  be  thus  moved,  then  to  kill  it 
that  it  might  not  be  used  by  the  enemy.  After  placing  in 
position  a  battalion  of  mounted  troops,  so  as  to  protect  the 
Signal  Corps  from  surprise  and  capture,  I  joined  Lieuten 
ant  Wiggins  on  the  mountain  side  at  a  height  of  possibly 
three  hundred  feet  above  the  level  of  the  great  valley.  The 
view  was  indeed  a  grand  one,  and  in  anticipation  of  what 
was  soon  to  take  place  left  impressions  never  to  be  for 
gotten. 

Looking  southward  from  this  eminence,  the  eye  falls 
upon  a  broad  valley,  skirted  by  the  Blue  Ridge  on  the  east 
and  the  Alleghenies  on  the  west,  traversed  by  highways  in 
all  directions ;  towns,  villages  and  churches  forming  local 
centres  among  farms,  the  improvements  upon  which  were 
the  best  in  Virginia  and  possibly  in  the  South.  From  all 
points  of  observation  small  bodies  of  cavalry  could  be  seen, 
by  the  aid  of  field-glasses,  on  every  public  road,  gradually 
spreading  out  like  foragers  at  will,  giving  ample  evidence 
cf  the  thoroughness  of  their  instructions  and  their  method 
ical  execution  of  the  order.  Slowly  and  deliberately  our 
troops  retired,  applying  the  torch  and  driving  off  all  man- 

215 


EXTRACTS  FROM  ANNALS  OF  WAR 

ner  of  stock.  Towards  evening  a  fierce  attack  was  made  on 
Torbert's  right  near  Timberville.  If  ever  troops  found  an 
incentive  to  strike  vigorous  blows  for  their  "homes  and 
firesides/'  it  was  those  who  fought  Sheridan's  destructions 
from  the  6th  to  the  Qth  of  October,  1864,  for  we  do  not 
think  the  annals  of  civilized  warfare  furnishes  a  parallel  to 
these  destructive  operations.  It  would  be  an  interesting 
chapter  in  the  Annals  of  the  War  to  have  the  names  of  the 
property  owners  and  the  estimated  loss  of  property,  real  and 
personal,  suffered  by  fire  within  the  lines  of  the  Military 
Division  between  August  i  and  December  i,  1864.  The 
work  of  destruction  was  to  be  thoroughly  done,  and  the 
blackened  face  of  the  country  from  Port  Republic  to  the 
neighborhood  of  Fisher's  Hill  bore  frightful  testimony  to 
fire  and  sword.  The  general  burning  ceased  on  the  night 
cf  the  8th,  and  the  work  of  getting  the  command  in  fight 
ing  trim  for  the  Qth  required  unusual  effort  upon  the  part 
of  officers,  but  by  daylight  all  was  in  readiness  and  the  ad 
vance  by  General  Merritt  on  the  pike  and  General  Custer 
on  the  back  or  mountain  road  compelled  Rosser  to  retreat 
in  confusion,  losing  all  his  artillery  but  one  gun.  The  day 
was  known  then  and  is  still  spoken,  of  by  the  old  soldiers  as 
the  "Woodstock  Races." 

CEDAR  CREEK. 

The  line  of  Cedar  Creek  was  occupied  on  the  loth  by 
the  infantry ;  the  cavalry  went  into  position  on  the  right  and 
left  flanks  a  few  days  later,  having  made  easy  marches  after 
their  pursuit  of  Rosser  to  Mount  Jackson  on  the  9th.  From 
this  point  Sheridan  was  called  to  Washington  to  consult 
with  the  Cabinet.  The  cavalry  accompanied  him  as  far  as 
Front  Royal,  from  which  point  a  raid  was  contemplated  by 
the  main  body  under  General  Torbert  to  Charlottsville  and 
the  Virginia  Central  Railroad,  while  he  would  be  escorted 
through  Manassas  Gap  to  Piedmont,  and  thence  by  rail  to 
the  capital ;  but  owing  to  a  report  that  Longstreet  was  march 
ing  to  the  relief  of  General  Early,  this  movement  was  re 
called,  and  instead  of  the  raid  on  the  Central  Railroad,  a 
reconnoissance  down  the  Luray  Valley  was  made  on  the 

216 


EXTRACTS  FROM  ANNALS  OF  WAR 

1 4th.  It  was  on  the  return  of  the  cavalry  from  this  move 
ment  that  the  command  came  in  contact  with  a  portion  of 
Mosby's  battalion  of  partisan  troops  with  results  somewhat 
episodical.  The  two  divisions  had  bivouacked  for  the  night 
about  midway  between  Front  Royal  and  Mill  ford,  and  on 
the  morning  of  the  I5th  took  up  the  line  of  march  to  Cedar 
Creek.  Not  anticipating  an  attack  of  any  kind,  the  ambu 
lance  train,  with  a  few  wounded  and  sick  men,  was  sent  on 
in  the  advance  of  the  main  column,  guarded  by  a  squadron 
of  the  Second  United  States  Cavalry,  commanded  by  Lieu 
tenant  Charles  McMaster.  Within  a  short  distance  of  Front 
Royal,  an  attempt  was  made  upon  the  train  by  some  fifty  or 
more  of  Mosby's  men.  The  guard  was  driven  back.  The 
affair  was  promptly  reported  and  the  leading  regiment  or 
dered  to  pursue  and  recapture  it.  This  order  was  prompt 
ly  executed  and  the  train  recaptured  before  it  reached  the 
town,  but  in  the  melee  Lieutenant  McMaster's  bridle  rein 
was  broken.  In  consequence  he  was  unable  to  check  his 
horse,  and  he  thus  found  himself  a  helpless  captive  among 
Mosby's  fleeing  men.  It  was  while  thus  riding  among  them 
that  he  was  shot  through  the  head,  and,  falling  to  the 
ground,  was,  in  a  few  minutes,  found  by  his  comrades  still 
alive  and  sufficiently  conscious  to  relate  the  circumstances 
of  his  mortal  wound. 

The  unwarrantable  act  incensed  his  fellow  officers  and 
volunteers  were  called  for,  who  quickly  responded,  to  ride 
down  a  number  of  the  partisan  band  and  revenge  the  death 
of  this  young  and  gallant  officer.  The  volunteers  numbered 
about  twenty-five  men,  well  mounted.  They  pursued  the 
scattered  squads  of  Mosby's  men,  who,  having  been  depriv 
ed  of  their  booty,  now  sought  the  sheltering  hills,  as  was 
their  wont.  But  before  they  reached  the  "bush"  six  of 
them  were  overhauled;  three  were  shot  on  the  highways 
and  three  were  brought  back  to  the  town.  One  of  these 
three,  quite  a  youth,  was  surrounded  by  the  Michigan  Bri 
gade  on  the  outskirts  of  the  town  and  shot  down.  The  re 
maining  two  were  hung  in  a  small  grove  between  the  town 
and  the  river  Shenandoah.  I  witnessed  the  execution  of 
these  two  men ;  it  took  place  within  two  hours  after  their 

217 


EXTRACTS  FROM  ANNALS  OF  WAR 

capture.  The  troops  present  and  on  duty  at  this  time  were 
Companies  E  and  L  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cav 
alry,  and  Lieutenant  McMaster's  Troop  of  the  Second  Unit 
ed  States  Cavalry.  The  latter's  non-commissioned  officers  and 
enlisted  men,  being  eye-witnesses  to  the  brutal  conduct  of 
Mosby's  men,  requested  the  privilege  of  executing  the  order 
of  General  Torbert  to  hang  them,  which  was  granted.  It  is 
due  to  these  men  of  Mosby's  command  to  say,  they  met  their 
cruel  fate  bravely.  Both  declared  their  unqualified  loyalty 
to  the  Confederacy  and  their  readiness  to  die  for  it,  if  nec 
essary,  assuring  their  executioners,  however,  that  they  might 
expect  retaliation  in  kind.  Both  were  hung  at  the  same 
moment,  side  by  side,  to  the  projecting  limb  of  a  large  oak 
tree,  within  sight  of  the  town,  and  a  card  with  their  full 
names  'written  on  it;  and  below,  "Such  is  the  fate  of  Mos 
by's  men." 


218 


JOSKPH    K. 

Sergeant,  Company  A,  Beaver  Tails,  Pa. 


HOW  SERGEANT  J.  E.  McCABE  BECAME  ONE 
OF  GENERAL  SHERIDAN'S  SCOUTS. 

H.  P.  Moyer : 

MY  DEAR  COMRADE  : — In  reply  to  your  request  to  furnish 
you  with  an  account  of  how  I  became  one  of  General  P.  H. 
Sheridan's  scouts,  I  take  great  pleasure  in  submitting  the  fol 
lowing: 

I  was  a  sergeant  in  Company  A  of  the  Seventeenth  Regi 
ment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry.  Just  previous  to 
the  opening  of  the  engagement  of  the  battle  on  the  Opequon 
River,  I  was  sent  out  with  a  detail  to  find  a  suitable  place  to 
cross  the  river.  I  took  a  circuitous  route,  crossed  the  river 
?  short  distance  above  the  ford,  captured  the  enemy's  picket 
post,  consisting  of  one  lieutenant  and  sixteen  men,  and  se 
cured  the  ford.  I  was  highly  complimented  for  this  daring 
and  successful  feat,  and  my  name  was  favorably  mentioned 
afterward  to  Colonel  E.  O.  Edwards,  who,  after  the  battle 
of  Winchester,  was  made  the  provost  marshal  of  that  post. 
The  following  day,  after  the  battle  of  Winchester,  Septem 
ber  19,  1864,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  report  to  Colonel 
E  O.  Edwards  for  provost  duty.  On  September  2ist  I  was 
sent  with  a  detail  of  ten  men  to  carry  a  despatch  to  Har 
per's  Ferry.  I  was  attacked  by  about  thirty  men  of  Mosby's 
guerrillas.  I  fought  my  way  through  without  losing  a  man, 
and  got  back  to  Winchester  with  my  return  despatches.  Col 
onel  Edwards  sent  for  me,  and  I  had  a  long  talk  with  him. 
He  called  Major  H.  H.  Young,  General  Sheridan's  chief 
scout,  into  the  room  and  suggested  that  Major  Young  and 
myself  take  some  men  and  make  a  raid  around  General 
Early's  army. 

The  time  was  fixed,  and  an  order  came  to  my  regiment 
for  Sergeant  McCabe  with  twenty  cavalrymen  to  report  to 
Colonel  Edwards'  headquarters.  Major  Coe  Durland  (then 
in  command  of  the  regiment)  sent  for  me,  and  I  had  a  talk 
with  him,  after  which  he  ordered  me  to  pick  twenty  men 
with  good  horses,  of  my  own  choice,  and  report  to  Colonel 

219 


ONE  OF   SHERIDAN'S   SCOUTS 

Edwards.  When  I  reported  to  the  colonel,  he  told  me  that 
Major  Young  would  take  the  same  number  of  infantry  and 
we  would  start  just  as  soon  as  the  major  was  ready. 

In  a  short  time  Major  Young  reported  with  his  detail  and 
we  started.  I  often  had  to  stop  and  wait  until  the  major  and 
his  infantry  would  catch  up.  We  marched  all  that  day  and 
saw  no  Confederates.  When  darkness  came  on  we  stopped 
at  a  brick  house  on  the  road  to  Romney,  placed  our  pickets, 
and  I  lay  down  and  slept  all  night  without  being  disturbed. 

The  next  morning  we  continued  the  march  until  we  came 
to  Big  Kapen  Springs,  where  we  captured  a  Rebel.  After 
a  short  rest  we  took  a  different  road  and  started  for  Win 
chester.  We  had  not  gone  very  far  when  we  discovered  a 
gap  in  a  rail  fence  and  a  well  worn  path.  I  reported  this 
to  Major  Young  and  upon  examination  we  found  fresh 
tracks  of  horses.  Major  Young  ordered  me  to  take  five  of 
my  men  and  follow  the  tracks.  I  selected  Wilson,  Stubes, 
Whitehill,  Christy  and  Mowery.  We  went  through  the 
field  and  up  the  side  of  the  mountain.  The  path  was  so 
narrow  we  had  to  go  single  file.  We  finally  reached  the  top 
and  started  down  the  other  side.  Presently  we  came  to  a 
flat  place  where  there  was  a  small  log  house  and  around 
that  house  were  six  horses  tied,  with  saddles  on.  We 
watched  the  house  for  a  few  minutes  and  presently  a  man 
came  out  of  the  house  and  one  of  my  men  fired  at  him. 
This  brought  six  other  men  out,  and  they  opened  fire  on  us, 
but  we  had  the  advantage,  for  we  were  armed  with  carbines 
and  revolvers  and  fired  as  rapidly  as  we  could.  We  wound 
ed  two  of  them,  captured  the  rest  and  started  back. 

By  the  time  we  reached  Major  Young  it  was  dark.  We 
now  had  seven  prisoners.  We  continued  the  march  and  it 
was  very  dark.  I  took  the  lead  with  my  cavalry  and  the  major 
followed  with  the  infantry.  We  had  not  gone  very  far  until 
we  ran  into  a  squad  of  Rebels.  We  halted  them,  but  they  did 
not  answer  back,  but  opened  fire  on  us.  I  then  gave  the  com 
mand  to  fire  and  charge  them.  They  turned  their  horses, 
and  all  but  one  escaped.  One  of  their  men  was  thrown  from 
his  horse  and  fell  on  his  face,  cutting  his  head  very  badly. 
We  captured  him  and  later  learned  that  he  was  the  notori- 

220 


ONE  OF   SHERIDAN'S  SCOUTS 

ous  guerrilla,  Charles  Sibert.    About  midnight  we  reached 
Bill  Russell's  house,  eighteen  miles  from  Winchester. 

The  infantry  being  very  tired,  Major  Young  said  we 
would  stay  here  all  night.  I  gave  my  men  orders  not  to  un 
saddle  their  horses  and  to  be  ready  for  any  emergency  that 
might  arise.  After  we  had  established  a  picket,  Major 
Young  ordered  his  infantry  to  go  into  a  vacant  blacksmith 
shop  across  the  road.  He  then  went  into  the  house  and  ask 
ed  Mrs.  Russell  to  get  him  and  myself  some  supper.  She 
baked  us  some  buckwheat  cakes  and  fried  eggs.  Then  Mr. 
Russell  went  down  into  the  bushes  and  brought  up  a  big  jug 
of  applejack.  We  took  a  drink  of  this  and  sat  down  to  sup 
per.  We  were  just  about  through  eating  when  I  heard  fir 
ing  up  the  road.  I  went  to  the  door  and  knew  from  the 
sound  there  was  something  wrong.  I  rushed  out,  mounted 
my  horse  and  gave  the  command  to  my  men  to  mount.  I 
then  formed  a  line  across  the  road  to  receive  the  attack,  and 
during  this  time  Major  Young  was  getting  his  infantry 
out  of  the  blacksmith  shop. 

By  the  time  he  got  them  out  my  men  had  checked  the 
Rebels  and  driven  them  back.  We  had  no  more  trouble  that 
right.  The  next  morning  we  started  for  Winchester.  Major 
Young  said  to  me:  "Sergeant  McCabe,  you  understand  bet 
ter  how  to  handle  this  affair  than  I  do;  I  wish  you  would 
take  charge  from  now  on."  I  took  charge  and  we  captured 
several  more  Rebels  that  day.  By  the  time  we  got  back  to 
Colonel  Edwards'  headquarters  we  had  in  all  seventeen 
Rebel  prisoners  and  one  of  them  was  the  notorious  guer 
rilla,  Charles  Sibert.  We  turned  the  prisoners  over  to  Col 
onel  Edwards.  When  Colonel  Edwards  questioned  Mr.  Si 
bert  concerning  their  barbarous  treatment  of  our  prisoners, 
and  demanding  an  explanation  under  penalty  of  being  shot, 
Mr.  Sibert  said,  "You  can  shoot  me,  if  you  want,  but  I  will 
not  tell  you  anything." 

After  our  report  to  Colonel  Edwards,  he  sent  an  order  to 
Major  Coe  Durland  to  keep  me  off  duty  in  the  regiment, 
and  I  was  ordered  to  report  to  Major  Young  every  day, 
which  I  did.  Almost  every  night  Major  Young  and  myself 

221 

15 — 17th   R. 


ONE  OF   SHERIDAN'S   SCOUTS 

would  make  raids  through  the  country  and  bring  in  Rebel 
prisoners. 

On  a  certain  occasion  Colonel  Edwards  told  General 
Sheridan  of  the  splendid  work  of  Young  and  McCabe, 
whereupon  General  Sheridan  immediately  sent  for  Young 
and  McCabe  to  report  to  him.  Before  we  reported  to  Gen 
eral  Sheridan,  Young  came  to  my  regiment  and  we  talked 
the  matter  over  with  Major  Durland,  for,  at  that  time,  I 
had  been  recommended  by  Major  Durland  for  a  commission 
as  a  first  lieutenant.  Major  Young  and  I  rode  out  to  Kearns- 
town  and  had  a  talk  with  General  Sheridan.  He  suggested 
that  we  should  organize  a  full  company  of  a  hundred  men 
for  scouting  purposes.  So  we  picked  the  men  we  wanted, 
mounted  them  and  furnished  them  with  grey  uniforms  and 
two  revolvers  each.  We  frequently  went  into  the  Rebel  line, 
learned  to  talk  the  Southern  language  and  became  familiar 
with  each  regiment,  brigade,  division  and  corps  of  the  Rebel 
army,  and  after  that  went  among  them  as  full-fledged 
Rebels. 

We  had  fifty-eight  to  sixty  men  all  the  time,  and  every 
day  and  night  some  of  our  men  were  within  the  Confederate 
lines.  Major  Young  was  on  General  Sheridan's  staff,  and 
was  with  the  general  most  of  the  time  while  a  member.  I 
had  charge  of  the  men,  and  any  orders  that  were  given  to 
the  men  were  given  by  me. 

After  all  of  that  hard  work,  there  are  but  four  of  us  liv 
ing,  McCabe,  Rowand,  Riley  and  Christman.  I  stood  within 
six  feet  of  General  Lee  when  he  got  off  his  horse  and  went 
into  the  house  where  afterward  he  surrendered  to  General 
Grant. 

I  trust  this  will  give  you  the  desired  information  and  a 
short  sketch  of  how  I  became  one  of  General  Sheridan's 
scouts.  I  have  a  letter  written  to  me  by  General  Sheridan, 
in  which*  he  recommends  me  to  the  President  for  the  valu 
able  work  done  under  him  as  a  scout. 

Further  details  as  a  scout  you  will  find  in  my  "Itinerary 
of  the  Regiment,"  a  copy  of  which  is  also  herewith  sub 
mitted. 

JOSEPH  E.  McCABE. 

222 


GEORGE  D.  MULLIHAN. 
Sergeant.  Company  IX  Webb  City.  Missouri. 


THE  CAPTURE  OF  MAJOR  HARRY  W.  GIL- 

MOR  AND  CAPTAIN  GEORGE  W. 

STUMP  OF  GUERRILLA  FAME. 

BY  SERGEANT  G.  D.   MULLIHAN,  COMPANY  D. 

I  had  two  enlistments.  My  first  enlistment  was  in  Com 
pany  F,  of  the  Twelfth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer 
Cavalry,  in  November,  1861,  at  the  age  of  13  years.  I  serv 
ed  six  months  in  that  regiment,  and  participated  in  the  bat 
tles  of  Bristoe  Station,  Second  Bull  Run,  Fairfax  Court 
House,  South  Mountain  and  Antietam. 

My  second  enlistment  was  in  Company  D,  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  and  I  par 
ticipated  in  all  the  battles  in  which  the  regiment  was  engag 
ed,  excepting  Sailor's  Creek,  Five  Forks  and  Appomatox.  I 
was  wounded  four  times.  First  in  the  battle  of  the  Wilder 
ness,  May  7,  1864,  where  I  received  a  slight  scratch  in  the 
neck  by  a  fragment  of  an  exploded  shell.  The  following 
day,  May  8th,  I  received  a  slight  wound  in  my  left  arm.  At 
the  battle  of  Yellow  Tavern,  May  12,  1864,  I  received  an 
other  slight  wound  in  my  left  arm,  and  at  the  battle  of  Tre- 
vilian  Station,  I  was  wounded  in  the  left  cheek  and  was 
sent  to  the  hospital  in  Philadelphia  for  a  short  time. 

During  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville  I  was  one  of  the 
orderlies  to  General  George  Sykes.  On  the  evening  of  May 
ist,  during  this  battle,  I  was  sent  with  a  message  to  General 
Alexander  Schimmelpfenning,  who  commanded  a  brigade  in 
the  Eleventh  Corps,  in  which  the  general  was  directed  to 
drive  off  the  field  a  Rebel  battery  in  the  immediate  front  of 
that  corps.  I  took  part  in  this  charge,  but  we  failed  to  dis 
lodge  the  battery. 

During  the  Gettysburg  campaign,  Companies  D  and  H,  of 
the  regiment,  under  command  of  Captain  William  Thomp 
son,  were  on  detached  service  at  Fifth  Corps  headquarters. 
When  the  corps  reached  Gettysburg,  I  was  sent  with  a  mes 
sage  from  General  George  Sykes  to  General  Samuel  W. 

223 


CAPTURE  OF  MAJ.  GILMOR  AND  CAPT.  STUMP 

Crawford,  commanding  the  Pennsylvania  Reserves,  with 
detailed  instructions  to  direct  them  over  the  field  to  the 
point  where  they  were  to  join  his  line  of  battle. 

After  the  battle  of  Winchester,  in  the  Shenandoah  Val 
ley,  September  19,  1864,  I  was  detailed  as  one  of  General 
P.  H.  Sheridan's  scouts,  being  ordered  to  report  to  Major 
Young,  chief  of  General  Sheridan's  scouts.  The  number  of 
scouts  was  about  sixty  men,  who  were  in  charge  of  Ser 
geant  Jos.  E.  McCabe,  of  Company  A  of  our  regiment. 
While  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  our  chief  duties  were  to 
carry  messages,  scout  the  country  for  information  and  fight 
the  guerrillas.  The  guerrillas  were  classified  as  Mosby's 
and  McNeill's  guerrillas.  While  they  were  separate  and 
distinct  organizations,  they  would  occasionally  unite,  and,  in 
that  way,  muster  a  force  of  considerable  strength,  making  it 
difficult  to  keep  open  the  line  of  communication  between 
Martinsburg,  Harper's  Ferry  and  General  Sheridan's  head 
quarters.  I  accompanied  Major  H.  H.  Young  on  a  number 
of  scouting  expeditions,  and  became  quite  well  acquainted 
with  the  country. 

When  General  T.  A.  Torbert,  with  a  provisional  com 
mand  of  the  Cavalry  Corps,  was  sent  on  the  Qprdonsville 
and  Lynchburg  Raid,  the  last  week  in  December,  1864,  I 
was  sent,  by  General  Sheridan,  with  a  secret  message  to 
General  Torbert.  I  overtook  him  at  Chester  Gap,  and  re 
turned  again  to  Winchester  with  a  message  from  General 
Torbert  to  General  Sheridan.  In  the  meantime  General 
George  A.  Custer  had  been  sent  up  the  valley,  with  in 
structions  to  form  a  junction  with  General  Torbert  at 
Lynchburg.  General  Custer  was  defeated  in  his  purpose, 
thus  placing  General  Torbert's  command  in  great  danger  of 
being  captured.  To  get  a  message  to  General  Torbert,  Gen 
eral  Sheridan  called  for  two  scouts  to  undertake  the  trip. 
Abe  Atkins,  of  the  First  Wisconsin  Cavalry,  and  I  volun 
teered.  Before  we  started  we  were  called  into  the  presence 
of  General  Sheridan  and  were  fully  impressed  with  the  im 
portance  of  the  messages  and  that  it  was  a  hazardous  under 
taking.  The  distance  was  about  one  hundred  miles.  We 
made  the  trip  in  twenty- four  hours.  We  passed  through 

224 


CAPTURE  OF  MAJ.  GILMOR  AND  CAPT.  STUMP 

three  Rebel  camps.  We  ate  breakfast  with  the  Johnny  Rebs, 
with  Union  dispatches  in  our  pockets. 

We  found  General  Torbert  near  Warrenton  and  deliver 
ed  our  messages.  For  this  service  I  was  paid  $100.00  from 
the  Secret  Service  Fund. 

On  a  certain  Sunday  in  January,  1865,  fifteen  of  the 
scouts,  accompanied  by  fifty  men  of  the  Fifth  New  York 
Cavalry,  made  a  dash  into  Edenburg,  captured  their  pickets 
and  reserve  post.  There  was  a  Union  man  living  in  Wood 
stock,  by  the  name  of  Koontz,  who  had  been  giving  us  in 
formation.  The  Rebels  detected  him  and  wanted  to  hang 
him.  We  determined  to  save  him,  if  possible.  And  we  did 
save  his  life.  But  in  the  attempt  we  were  delayed  so  long 
in  getting  him  that  the  Rebs  got  after  us  and  recaptured  all 
of  our  men  we  had  captured  from  them.  We  had  to  scatter 
and  only  five  of  our  scouts  reported  that  night.  But  later,  all 
but  Williams  and  White  turned  up. 

The  next  Sunday  we  took  another  trip.  This  time  we 
went  to  Columbia  Furnace,  captured  a  reserve  post,  and 
got  back  again  into  our  lines  without  losing  a  man. 

Some  time  in  February,  1865,  the  Rebels  made  a  dash 
into  Cumberland  Gap  and  captured  Generals  George  Crook 
and  B.  F.  Kelly.  Shortly  after  that,  Nick  Carlisle  of  Vir 
ginia  and  myself  were  out  scouting  in  the  vicinity  of  Moore- 
field  and  learned  that  Major  Harry  Gilmor  of  Baltimore, 
was  there  consolidating  his  command  with  McNeill's  guer 
rillas,  and,  that  Captain  George  W.  Stump,  the  famous  guer 
rilla  was  also  in  the  vicinity.  We  ascertained  that  their  pur 
pose  was  to  make  a  raid  on  New  Creek  Station,  where  our 
army  had  a  large  supply  of  commissary  and  quartermas 
ter's  stores.  We  concluded  that  this  would  be  a  good  chance 
to  get  even  with  the  Rebs  for  the  capture  of  Generals  Crook 
and  Kelly.  The  facts  were  reported  to  Major  Young,  chief 
of  scouts,  which  resulted  in  an  expedition  of  fifteen  scouts 
and  three  hundred  men  of  General  Custer's  brigade,  all  in 
command  of  Major  Young,  being  sent  to  Moorefield.  We 
started  about  noon,  rode  all  night,  and  just  before  daylight 
arrived  at  Moorefield.  We  left  the  Michigan  boys  hid  in 
the  timber  close  by  the  town,  because  they  were  dressed 

225 


CAPTURE  OF  MAJ.  GILMOR  AND  CAPT.  STUMP 

in  blue,  with  instructions,  in  case  they  heard  firing,  to 
come  to  our  assistance.  Before  entering  Moorefield  we 
divided  our  scouts.  Nick  Carlisle,  taking  eight  men,  went 
to  a  Mr.  William's  house.  Major  Young  with  the  other 
seven  men,  went  to  a  Mr.  Randolph's  house,  where  we  were 
told  Major  Gilmor  was  staying.  Posting  five  men  around  the 
house,  Major  Young  and  myself  entered  the  house  and 
found  Major  Gilmor  and  his  cousin  in  bed,  with  their  arms 
on  the  centre  table.  We  at  once  demanded  their  surrender. 
While  they  were  dressing,  I  ran  to  the  stable  and  saddled 
their  horses.  By  this  time  some  few  of  the  Rebs  who  were 
in  the  town  found  out  who  we  were  and  commenced  firing 
on  us.  In  the  meantime  the  firing  had  been  heard  by  the 
Michigan  boys  and  they  at  once  responded  and  drove  off 
the  Rebels  who  had  gathered  by  this  time.  I  knew  that 
Major  Gilmor  rode  a  horse  that  had  good  speed.  I  suggest 
ed  to  Major  Young  that  Gilmor  should  take  one  of  our 
horses  that  was  not  so  fast,  or  else  he  might  get  away.  But 
the  major  allowed  him  to  mount  his  own  horse.  As  soon 
as  Major  Gilmor  was  in  the  saddle  he  made  an  attempt  to 
escape.  I  suspected  this  and  was  prepared  for  him.  I 
caught  his  horse  by  the  bridle  rein.  He  made  the  second 
attempt.  Again  I  caught  his  horse.  I  then  told  Major 
Young,  that,  unless  he  would  make  Major  Gilmor  change 
horses,  I  would  shoot  Gilmor's  horse.  Now  that  we  had 
him  I  was  not  going  to  let  him  escape.  Major  Young  then 
ordered  Jack  Reily  to  exchange  horses  with  Gilmor,  and  then 
asked  me  whether  I  was  satisfied  now.  When  I  told  him 
yes,  he  said,  "You  may  guard  him  then  as  you  are  so 
afraid  he  will  get  away." 

We  were  now  about  thirty  miles  from  our  lines,  and  at 
once  started  upon  our  return  trip.  About  noon,  Reily  relieved 
me  from  guarding  Gilmor  and  I  rode  up  to  the  head  of  the 
column  and  discussed  our  trip  with  Major  Young.  Seeing 
a  house  a  short  distance  in  from  the  road  I  said  to  Major 
Young,  "I  will  ride  over  to  the  house  and  see  whether  I  can 
get  something  to  eat."  In  conversation  with  the  negro  woman 
who  served  me,  I  learned  that  I  was  in  the  house  of  Cap 
tain  Stump.  Knowing  that  Captain  Stump  was  one  of  Mc- 

226 


CAPTURE  OF  MAJ.  GILMOR  AND  CAPT.  STUMP 

Neill's  scouts,  with  the  reputation  of  hanging  and  cutting 
the  throats  of  Union  prisoners,  I  made  further  inquiry  about 
him,  telling  the  colored  woman  that  I  had  important  dis 
patches  for  the  captain  and  must  see  him  at  once.  She  in 
formed  me  that  he  was  in  church,  (this  being  Sunday,) 
and  pointed  out  the  church  to  me  about  half  a  mile  down 
the  road.  I  immediately  mounted  my  horse,  called  four 
of  our  scouts,  told  them  the  good  news,  and  started  for  the 
church.  Arriving  at  the  church  I  made  inquiry  for  Captain 
Stump,  saying  that  I  had  important  dispatches  for  him  and 
that  I  must  see  him  at  once.  I  was  informed  that  he  was 
not  in  church,  but  that  I  could  find  him  at  his  brother's 
house  a  short  distance  down  the  road.  Fearing  that  they 
might  suspect  us,  I  left  two  men  at  the  church,  with  in 
structions  to  arrest  any  one  who  would  try  to  get  away, 
while  with  the  other  two  men  I  went  down  the  road  to 
where  the  captain's  brother  lived.  The  house  was  built 
with  a  large  basement  and,  as  Nick  Carlisle  and  myself 
went  in  the  lower  part  of  the  house,  we  heard  a  noise  up 
stairs.  Running  up  as  fast  as  we  could,  we  discovered  Cap 
tain  Stump  in  the  act  of  mounting  his  horse,  I  ordered  him 
to  surrender.  While  in  the  act  of  mounting  his  horse,  we 
fired  several  shots,  and  he  fell  forward  to  the  ground.  He 
tried  to  regain  his  feet,  and  reached  for  his  revolver.  But 
we  were  upon  him  before  he  could  use  it,  and  I  pointed  my 
revolver  in  his  face  and  forced  him  to  his  knees.  We  im 
mediately  disarmed  him.  His  belt  was  supported  with  two 
straps  over  his  shoulders,  and  on  that  belt  he  carried  three 
pistols,  and  on  his  saddle  he  had  a  pistol  and  a  seven  shot 
carbine.  I  asked  him  where  he  was  hurt?  He  said  in  the 
thigh,  pointing  to  the  place.  I  asked  him  whether  he  was 
Captain  Stump?  He  said  "No,  but  I  am  Captain  Stump's 
brother."  As  we  were  going  down  the  lane  toward  the 
road,  he  made  an  attempt  to  snatch  Nick  Carlisle's  revolver, 
but  Nick  was  on  the  lookout  for  just  such  an  attempt,  so 
he  did  not  succeed.  We  then  made  him  ride  between  us, 
and  told  him  that  if  he  attempted  to  get  away,  we  would 
make  a  sieve  out  of  him.  We  were  now  joined  by  the  men 
we  had  left  at  the  church. 

227 


CAPTURE  OF  MAJ.  GILMOR  AND  CAPT.  STUMP 

After  we  caught  up  with  the  column,  Major  Young  asked 
me,  "Whom  have  you  there  ?"  I  replied,  "Captain  Stump,  but 
he  will  not  own  up  to  it."  Major  Young  then  said  to  him, 
"You  might  as  well  own  up  to  it,  for  there  are  plenty  of  peo 
ple  around  here  who  know  you  and  can  identify  you."  Cap 
tain  Stump  then  said.  "I  might  as  well  own  up  to  it:  I  am 
Captain  Stump."  Major  Young  then  said.  "I  suppose  you 
know  that  we  will  kill  you.  But  we  will  not  serve  you  as 
you  have  served  our  men,  cut  your  throat  or  hang  you.  We 
will  give  you  a  chance  for  your  life.  We  will  give  you 
ten  rods  start  on  your  own  horse,  with  your  spurs  on.  If 
you  get  away,  all  right.  But  remember,  my  men  are  dead 
shots."  Captain  Stump  smiled,  rode  out,  and  we  gave  him 
the  word  "Go."  We  allowed  him  about  ten  rods  start,  then 
our  pistols  cracked,  and  he  fell  forward,  dead.  When  the 
news  was  told  to  Major  Gilmor  what  had  happened,  he  said. 
"Everything  considered,  I  can't  blame  you." 

The  following  morning  we  turned  over  our  prisoners  to 
General  Sheridan,  who  complimented  us  warmly  for  the 
success  of  the  expedition. 


228 


KILPATRICK'S    RICHMOND    RAID. 

Brigadier  General  Judson  Kilpatrick's  Raid  on  Rich 
mond,  Va.,  February  27  to  March  15,  1864. 

BY  W.   H.  SPERA,   MAJOR  SEVENTEENTH  PENNSYLVANIA 
CAVALRY. 

On  the  9th  of  December,  1863,  President  Lincoln  issued  a 
proclamation  granting  amnesty  to  all  persons  who  had  di 
rectly  or  by  implication  participated  in  the  existing  rebellion, 
and  a  full  restoration  of  all  property  except  slaves,  who 
would  take  and  subscribe  to  an  oath  and  keep  said  oath  in 
violate.  The  proclamation  included  all  citizens  of  States  in 
rebellion.  It  excepted  officials  of  the  Confederate  govern 
ment,  all  who  left  judicial  stations  under  the  Government 
of  the  United  States  to  aid  the  rebellion,  officers  of  all 
arms  above  the  rank  of  colonel,  and  in  the  navy  above  the 
rank  of  lieutenant,  all  who  left  seats  in  the  United  States 
Congress  to  aid  the  rebellion,  and  all  who  resigned  com 
mands  in  the  army  or  navy  of  the  United  States  and  after 
wards  aided  the  rebellion. 

Major-general  George  G.  Meade,  commander  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac,  said:  "About  the  middle  of  Febru 
ary,  1864,  when  in  Washington,  I  was  informed  by  the  Hon 
orable  Secretary  of  War  that  his  Excellency,  the  President, 
was  very  anxious  to  have  the  amnesty  proclamation  dis 
tributed  within  the  enemy's  lines,  and  that  he  had  sent  for 
Brigadier  General  Kilpatrick  to  confer  with  him  on  the  prac 
ticability  of  accomplishing  this  object  in  connection  with  a 
cavalry  expedition." 

HEADQUARTERS,  THIRD  DIVISION,  CAVALRY  CORPS,  A.  OF  P., 

FEBRUARY  16,  1864. 

Capt.  E.  B.   Parsons,  Acting  Assistant  Adjutant  General   Cavalry 

Corps : 

CAPTAIN  :  In  compliance  with  orders  from  headquarters,  Cavalry 
Corps,  I  have  the  honor  to  report  that  on  the  morning  of  the  I2th 
inst.,  I  proceeded  to  Washington  City,  and  reported  lfc>  the  Presi 
dent  of  the  United  States  as  directed  in  an  order  dated  Cavalry 
Corps,  February  12,  1864. 

229 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

By  direction  of  the  President  I  afterward  reported  to  the  Hon 
orable  Secretary  of  War,  and  submitted  at  his  request  the  following 
plan,  as  in  my  opinion,  the  most  practicable  to  accomplish  the 
double  purpose  of  distributing  the  President's  amnesty  proclama 
tion  to  the  Rebel  commands  in  our  front  and  to  the  inhabitants  of 
Virginia  in  the  various  counties  about  Richmond,  as  also  as  far  as 
possible  to  destroy  the  enemy's  communications  and  attempt  the 
release  of  our  prisoners  at  Richmond. 

Plan : — I  propose,  with  a  force  of  not  less  than  4,000  cavalry  and 
six  guns,  to  cross  the  Rapidan  at  Ely's  Ford,  and  proceed  to  Spott- 
sylvania  Court  House,  from  that  point  to  send  a  sufficient  force  of 
cavalry  to  destroy  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad  at  or  near  Freder 
ick's  Hall,  to  prevent  infantry  reinforcements  being  sent  from  Lee's 
army,  scouts  having  been  sent  out  to  cut  the  telegraph  wires  on 
crossing  the  Rapidan  River;  also  to  send  a  force  to  destroy  the 
Fredericksburg  Railroad  at  or  near  Guiney's  Station,  the  telegraph 
line  on  this  road  having  also  previously  been  destroyed.  These 
parties  and  others  that  it  may  be  found  necessary  to  detach  will 
scatter  the  proclamation  along  the  line  of  march.  With  the  main 
force  I  propose  to  move  to  Mt.  Carmel  church,  and  cross  the  North 
Anna  River  near  that  point,  destroy  the  railroad  bridge  three  miles 
below,  and  proceed  to  Hanover  Junction  unless  the  force  stationed 
there  is  found  too  large,  in  which  case  I  will  avoid  that  point.  The 
force  sent  to  Guiney's  Station  will  join  me  at  Mt.  Carmel  church. 
The  .force  sent  to  Frederick's  Hall  will  proceed  to  Gpochland 
Court  House,  destroy  the  canal,  cross  the  James  River,  proceed  down 
the  south  bank,  destroy  the  arsenal  at  Bellana  and  also  the  Dan 
ville  &  Richmond  and  Petersburg  and  Richmond  railroads,  this 
force  to  act  as  circumstances  require.  From  Hanover  Junction  I 
will  proceed  down  the  brook  and  move  on  Richmond  and  if  pos 
sible,  in  conjunction  with  troops  sent  direct  from  West  Point,  Va., 
make  an  attempt  to  release  our  prisoners.  Should  this  be  found  to 
be  impossible,  the  command  can  return  by  way  of  Fredericksburg 
or  seek  temporary  safety  at  West  Point.  The  command  will  need 
but  five  days'  rations  and  one  for  horses.  No  wagons  will  be 
allowed. 

From  the  information  I  have  but  lately  received,  and  from  my 
thorough  knowledge  of  the  country,  I  am  satisfied  that  this  plan  can 
be  safely  and  successfully  carried  out. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

J.   KlLPATRICK, 

Brigadier  General  of  Volunteers. 

General  Meade  ordered  General  Pleasanton  to  reinforce 
General  Kilpatrick's  command  so  as  to  have  available  4,000 
officers  and  men  and  a  battery  of  artillery  (6  guns),  to  move 

230 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

with  the  utmost  expedition  possible,  and  on  the  shortest 
route  past  the  enemy's  right  flank  to  Richmond,  and  by  this 
rapid  march  endeavor  to  effect  an  entrance  into  that  city  and 
liberate  our  prisoners.  -A  powerful  expedition  in  Kilpat- 
rick's  favor  was  sent  out  in  the  direction  of  Charlottesville. 
On  the  26th  of  February  Kilpatrick  received  the  follow 
ing  order : 

[Confidential.] 

HEADQUARTERS  CAVALRY  CORPS,  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

FEBRUARY  24,  1864. 

Brigadier  General  J.   Kilpatrick,   Commanding  Third   Cavalry   Di 
vision  : 

GENERAL  :  Your  command,  increased  to  4,000  men  with  a  battery, 
will  be  placed  in  readiness  to  move  on  a  raid  to  Richmond  for  the 
purpose  of  liberating  our  prisoners  at  that  place. 

You  will  start  on  Sunday  evening,  the  28th  inst.,  and  will  pro 
ceed  by  such  r,outes  and  make  such  dispositions  as  from  time  to 
time  you  may  find  necessary  to  accomplish  the  object  of  the  expe 
dition.  You  will  not  be  confined  to  any  specific  instruction  and 
reference  to  such  matters.  Colonel  Ulrich  Dahlgren  is  authorized 
to  accompany  y.ou,  and  will  render  valuable  assistance  from  his 
knowledge  of  the  country  and  his  well  known  gallantry,  intelli 
gence  and  energy.  Important  diversions  will  be  made  in  your 
favor,  particulars  of  which  you  have  been  already  advised.  That 
these  may  be  more  fully  and  completely  carried  out  you  may  direct 
Brigadier  General  Custer  to  report  in  person  to  these  headquarters 
until  further  orders.  With  my  best  wishes  for  a  perfect  success 
and  the  assurance  that  every  effort  will  be  exerted  by  the  service 
here  to  insure  it,  I  remain  very  respectfully, 
Your  obedient  servant, 

A.  PLEASANTON, 
Major-general  Commanding. 

Kilpatrick's  command  consisted  of  156  commissioned  offi 
cers,  3,439  enlisted  men  and  Captain  Ramson's  regular  bat 
tery  of  light  artillery,  six  pieces,  an  aggregate  of  3,595. 

HEADQUARTERS,  ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC, 

FEBRUARY  28,  1864. 
Commanding  Officer  2nd  Corps  : 

Please  send  the  following  dispatch  to  General  Kilpatrick.  The 
signal  telegraph  is  just  reported  out  of  order.  Let  me  know  when 
Kilpatrick  receives  it. 

231 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND  RAID 

"FEBRUARY  28,  1864,  6:15  p.  m. 
Brigadier  General  Kilpatrick : 

The  Major-general  (Meade),  commanding,  directs  that  you 
move  tonight. 

A.  A.  HUMPHREYS, 
Major-general  Chief  of   Staff." 

The  Sixth  Corps,  Major-general  Sedgwick,  was  moved  to 
Madison  Court  House,  and  General  Custer,  with  a  cavalry 
command  to  Charlottesville. 

HEADQUARTERS,   CAVALRY  EXPEDITION, 

FEBRUARY  29,  1864,  i  A.  M.,  via  Second  Corps  Headquarters. 
Lieut.  Col.  C.  Ross  Smith,  Chief  of  Staff,  Cavalry  Corps : 

COLONEL  :  My  advance  captured  the  picket  and  reserve  at  Ely's 
Ford,  consisting  of  a  captain,  lieutenant  and  fifteen  men.  It  was  a 
complete  surprise.  No  alarm  has  been  given.  The  enemy  does 
not  anticipate  our  movement.  My  command  is  crossing  in  good 
order.  Colonel  Dahlgren  with  the  advance  has  reached  Chancellors- 
ville. 

Very  respectfully, 

J.  KILPATRICK. 
A.  PLEASANTON, 
Major-general. 

THE  RAID. 

On  the  afternoon  of  Saturday,  the  2/th  of  February,  1864, 
while  encamped  near  Culpepper  Court  House,  Virginia,  the 
following  order  was  received  at  headquarters  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry: 

HEADQUARTERS,  20  BRIGADE,  IST  Div.,  CAVALRY  CORPS,  A.  OF  P., 
Camp  near  Culpepper  C.  H.,  Va. 

FEBRUARY  27,  1864. 
Commanding  Officer,  I7th  Pa.  Cav. : 

You  will  detail  from  your  command  two  hundred   (200)   of  the 
best  men  and  horses,  light  marching  order,  with  a  full  complement 
of  officers  to  report  to  these  headquarters  at  5  p.  m. 
By  command  of  Colonel  Devin,  Commanding  Brigade. 

J.  H.  MAHNKEN, 
Ass't.  Adj't  Gen. 

Being  the  ranking  officer  of  the  detail  I  was  placed  in  com 
mand  of  the  detachment  and  ordered  to  report  to  General 
Devin,  commanding  Second  Brigade,  First  Division,  Cavalry 

232 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

Corps,  Army  of  the  Potomac.  On  reporting  to  General 
Devin,  he  said  he  knew  not  what  the  detail  was  for,  that  I 
should  report  to  Major  Hall,  Sixth  New  York  Cavalry,  who 
was  in  command  of  the  detachment  of  the  brigade.  On  re 
porting  to  Major  Hall  he  had  orders  to  report  to  First  Divi 
sion  headquarters.  Here  they  knew  no  more  about  what  the 
detail  was  for,  only  that  Major  Hall  should  report  with  the 
troops  of  the  First  Cavalry  Division  to  Brigadier  General 
Judson  Kilpatrick,  commanding  Third  Division,  with  head 
quarters  near  Stevensburg,  Va.  This  had  the  appearance  of 
a  night  ride.  Arriving  at  Kilpatrick's  headquarters,  Major 
Hall  was  ordered  to  encamp  his  command  for  the  night.  This 
rather  dispelled  the  idea  of  a  night  ride,  and  had  the  appear 
ance  of  possibly  a  more  extended  trip  than  we  had  imagined. 
"Go  into  camp  and  make  yourselves  comfortable,"  were  the 
orders. 

On  Sunday,  the  28th,  orders  were  received  that  in  case 
any  trooper  or  horse  in  the  command  would  not  be  consid 
ered  serviceable  for  a  long  march,  they  should  be  returned 
to  their  regiments,  but  the  command  must  be  kept  at  the 
maximum.  I  sent  two  to  the  regiment  and  received  two. 

During  the  day  detachments  of  cavalry  arrived  from  the 
First  and  Second  Cavalry  Divisions. 

Five  days'  rations  of  hard  bread,  sugar,  coffee  and  salt 
were  issued,  but  no  meat,  the  command  evidently  being  sup 
posed  to  furnish  meat  for  itself  from  some  source  other  than 
Uncle  Sam's  commissary.  This  looked  extremely  raidish. 
Commanding  officers  of  detachments  were  ordered  to  see 
that  all  horses  were  well  shod,  inspection  of  arms  and  ammu 
nition,  everything  in  the  best  condition  possible.  Everybody 
was  in  excellent  humor,  for  nothing  so  delights  the  heart  of 
a  cavalryman  as  to  go  on  a  scout  or  a  raid.  It  is  easier  to 
get  a  trooper  or  even  a  hundred  for  a  raid  than  to  get  one  to 
groom  an  extra  horse. 

Major  Hall  reported  with  his  command  to  Brigadier  Gen 
eral  Davies  at  6  p.  m. 

There  was  great  speculation  among  officers  and  men  as  to 
where  the  expedition  was  going,  as  it  would  certainly  be 
more  than  an  ordinary  raid. 

233 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND   RAID 

About  10  o'clock  on  Sunday  evening  of  the  28th  of  Feb 
ruary,  1864,  nearly  four  thousand  troopers,  led  by  that  dash 
ing  and  intrepid  cavalry  leader,  General  Judson  Kilpatrick, 
rode  out  of  the  Union  lines,  their  horses'  hoofs  ringing  on 
the  icy  ground,  their  equipments  clinking  in  the  frosty  air. 

Before  midnight  the  Rapidan  was  crossed  at  Ely's  Ford, 
a  dash  by  Colonel  Dahlgren,  led  by  Scout  Hogan  with  forty 
men,  had  the  advance,  capturing  the  pickets  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river,  four  men  and  horses,  without  firing  a  shot. 
The  reserve  on  the  south  side  of  the  river  was  captured,  con 
sisting  of  one  captain,  one  lieutenant  and  eleven  men.  The 
reserve  was  located  on  the  left  of  the  road  within  a  short 
distance  of  the  ford,  and  now,  "On  to  Richmond!" 

Kilpatrick's  plan  was  an  audacious  one,  such  an  adventur 
ous  project  as  would  have  delighted  a  Stuart  or  a  Mosby. 

The  first  night  of  our  march  was  beautiful.  Myriads  of 
stars  twinkled  in  the  heavens,  looking  down  on  us  as  if  in 
wonder  why  we  should  violate  the  laws  of  God  and  wander 
at  night  instead  of  seeking  repose  and  sleep.  The  moon 
threw  its  silvery  light  upon  Rapidan  waters  when  we  forded 
it.  It  seemed  as  if  the  Almighty  Judge  was  looking  silently 
upon  our  doings. 

Before  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  29th  (Monday)  we 
passed  over  the  Chancellorsville  battlefield,  taking  the  road 
leading  southwest.  The  enemy's  campfires  to  the  north 
east,  in  the  vicinity  of  Fredericksburg,  were  plainly  visible. 
Marching  through  a  low,  heavily  wooded  country,  we  ar 
rived  at  Spottsylvania  Court  House  about  8  a.  m. 

The  column  halted  momentarily.  Considerable  merriment 
was  created  by  the  men  endeavoring  to  press  a  flock  of  geese 
into  the  service;  said  geese,  not  having  the  proper  fear  of 
Yankee  troopers  before  their  eyes,  were  making  a  morning 
meal  by  the  roadside.  An  aged  lady,  armed  with  woman's 
offensive  and  -defensive  weapon,  a  broom,  was  putting  forth 
her  best  endeavors  to  keep  her  dear  ganders,  geese  and  gos 
lings  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  their  enemies,  the  de 
tested  Yankees.  With  the  men  it  was  "against  geese  right 
cut"  or  "against  geese  left  cut,"  and  most  effectively,  did  it 
curl  up  the  neck  of  goose  or  gander.  Quite  a  few  were  de- 

234 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

capitated,  their  heads  tumbling  into  the  dust.  During  all  this 
decapitation  the  old  lady  was  by  no  means  a  silent  spectator, 
her  broom  doing  yeoman  service  in  her  behalf,  and  woe  be 
tide  the  unlucky  trooper  upon  whose  back  it  descended.  Her 
mainstay,  however,  was  scolding,  and  in  this  she  was  an  ex 
pert.  Captain  L.  B.  Kurtz,  who  was  riding  with  me  at  the 
head  of  the  column,  said  to  the  now  thoroughly  excited  fe 
male,  "Madam,  these  Yankees  are  h — 1  on  poultry."  She 
snappingly  replied,  "You'ns  all  ought  to  be  ashamed  of 
you'ns  selves,  to  come  heyer  and  destroy  we'uns  things. 
You'ns  are  nothing  but  nasty  dirty  Yankees  after  all,  so 
you'ns  all  are !"  This  created  a  laugh  among  the  men,  and 
the  old  lady  went  into  her  yard  slamming  the  gate  and  not  in 
a  very  amiable  frame  of  mind. 

After  crossing  the  Po  River  during  the  forenoon  the  com 
mand  halted  to  feed,  but  scarcely  more  time  was  taken  than 
to  cook  a  cup  of  coffee.  By  this  time  the  men  were  well  sup 
plied  with  meat,  rations,  etc.,  but  not  from  Uncle  Sam's 
commissary.  A  chicken,  a  goose,  a  ham  or  a  side  dangled 
from  almost  every  saddle,  but  as  Teddy  Campbell,  of  Com 
pany  I  (Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry),  had  it,  "This," 
said  he,  "is  one  of  old  Abe's  jokes ;  plenty  of  rations,  but  no 
time  to  eat  them."  Such  was  in  reality  the  case,  no  time  be 
ing  given  to  cook  rations,  although  we  had  a  bountiful  sup 
ply.  But  at  the  outset  it  was  plainly  evident  that  this  was  to 
be  a  warlike  tour,  where  all  the  fun,  chickens,  turkeys,  geese, 
hogs,  ham,  sweet  potatoes,  corn,  hay,  horses,  mules,  negroes, 
gray  backs,  whether  made  of  flesh  or  paper,  that  could  be 
had,  were  had.  The  command  carried  short  rations  for  horse 
and  man,  the  general  being  determined  that  for  once  the 
celebrated  order,  "Subsist  on  the  enemy's  country,"  should 
be  faithfully  carried  out. 

The  march  was  resumed,  marching  through  Mt.  Pleasant, 
New  Market  and  Chilesburg  to  the  North  Anna,  crossing  at 
Anderson's  Ferry  and  arriving  at  Beaver  Dam  Station,  on 
the  Virginia  Central  Railroad,  at  about  5  o'clock  p.  m. 

By  this  time  it  was  dark;  rain  and  snow  began  falling. 
Mere  the  freight  house  (125  feet  long),  telegraph  office,  pas 
senger  depot,  engine  house,  water  tank  and  outbuildings  were 

235 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

destroyed  by  fire,  the  switches,  turnouts  and  tracks  torn  up 
and  burned,  the  telegraph  wires  cut  and  poles  taken  down 
for  quite  a  distance.  Jeff  Davis  had  been  sending  to  this 
station  hourly  during  the  day  for  information  relative  to  the 
Yankees.  General  Lee  had  passed  west  on  a  train  about  two 
hours  before  our  arrival. 

The  darkness  of  the  night  was  illumined  by  the  burning 
of  twenty  wooden  buildings  at  the  station  and  the  fire  was 
doubtless  seen  for  many  miles.  All  were  set  on  fire  at  al 
most  the  same  moment,  forming  a  sheet  of  flame  rising  high 
above  the  surrounding  woods.  The  dark  forms  of  our  sol 
diers  jumping  and  dancing  around  it  seemed  from  a  dis 
tance  like  demons  on  some  hellish  sport.  A  train  loaded  with 
troops  from  Richmond,  seeing  the  conflagration,  halted  with 
in  two  miles  of  the  station  and  disembarked  some  of  the 
command.  A  force  of  our  men  were  sent  to  meet  them,  cap 
turing  two  officers  and  thirty  men  from  the  enemy.  He  sud 
denly  left.  We  could  hear  the  whistle  of  the  locomotive  as 
it  rapidly  retreated. 

From  Beaver  Dam  we  marched  south  in  the  direction  of 
Negrofoot,  halting  for  about  an  hour  to  feed.  Here  Major 
Hall's  command  left  the  main  column,  and  was  ordered  to 
proceed  to  Taylorsville  and  destroy  the  bridge  of  the  Rich 
mond,  Fredericksburg  &  Potomac  Railroad,  over  the  South 
Anna  River,  also  a  carriage  bridge. 

After  leaving  the  main  or  Kilpatrick's  column  we  marched 
in  a  southeasterly  direction.  And  now  it  stormed  in  earnest, 
sharp  wind,  snow  and  sleet  forcing  men  to  close  their  eyes. 
Trees  on  the  roadside  could  not  be  distinguished.  Such  com 
plete  darkness  I  never  saw.  Men  depended  entirely  upon 
the  instinct  of  their  horses,  and  the  whole  command  on  a 
ten-year-old  boy. 

The  column  was  continually  annoyed  by  the  enemy.  They 
seemed  to  be  hanging  on  our  flanks,  firing  into  the  column. 
The  roads  were  barricaded  at  a  number  of  places  by  fences 
and  felled  trees.  The  enemy  would  give  us  a  volley  from 
the  barricade,  then  disappear  in  the  darkness.  A  flash,  a 
sharp  report,  the  whiz  of  a  bullet  told  us  we  were  near  a 
barricade.  The  flashes  of  light  from  the  enemy's  firing  as 

236 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND  RAID 

we  marched  through  the  darkness  seemed  like  fireflies  of  a 
summer's  night. 

My  command  was  in  advance,  and  necessarily  proceeded 
with  a  very  great  deal  of  caution.  We  came  upon  a  strong 
barricade  from  behind  which  we  received  a  volley.  Re 
turning  the  fire  our  force  found  its  way  past  the  barricade, 
capturing  three  of  the  enemy.  Groping  our  way  through 
the  darkness  several  miles  farther  on  we  were  fired  into 
by  infantry.  The  road  had  been  strongly  barricaded  by 
felled  trees.  A  brisk  fire  was  exchanged  for  a  short  time, 
when  a  squad  of  our  men  dismounted  and  passed  the  barri 
cade  to  the  left  of  the  road.  Lieutenant  Martin  Reinhold, 
with  twelve  men  of  the  Seventeenfh  Pennsylvania,  passing 
to  the  right  succeeded  in  driving  the  enemy,  capturing  two 
lieutenants  and  ten  men.  Our  loss  was  one  man  killed,  of 
the  First  Indiana  Cavalry,  and  one  wounded,  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

About  three  miles  farther  on  a  team  of  six  mules,  wagon 
and  four  men  were  captured.  They  were  on  a  foraging  ex 
pedition  for  the  artillery  reserve  of  the  enemy,  at  Fred 
erick's  Hall  Junction.  One  of  them  was  sitting  by  a  camp 
fire.  He  seemed  greatly  surprised  on  being  informed  that 
he  was  a  prisoner  in  the  hands  of  the  Yankees.  He  waken 
ed  his  comrades  and  informed  them  of  their  good  fortune. 

On  arriving  near  the  bridge  over  the  South  Anna  at 
about  4  a.  m.,  it  still  being  dark,  we  proceeded  cautiously. 
Lieutenant  Martin  Reinhold,  Sergeant  John  Caulwell,  Com 
pany  C,  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  were  in  command 
of  the  extreme  advance.  Sergeant  Caulwell  reported  to  Lieu 
tenant  Reinhold  that  there  was  a  camp  in  his  immediate 
front.  This  was  just  before  daybreak.  The  lieutenant 
riding  forward  saw  some  one  approaching  him,  and 
ordered  him  to  halt.  The  order  was  instantly  obeyed 
by  the  uj°rinme"  who  was  approaching.  He  inquired  if  this 
was  not  Hampton's  Legion.  Caulwell  replied  that  it  was 
saying,  "Come  on,  you're  all  right."  The  "Johnnie"  seemed 
satisfied,  remarking  that  he  had  a  brother  in  the  Legion, 
but  when  Lieutenant  Reinhold  informed  him  that  he  was  a 
prisoner  of  war  he  replied,  "I  should  like  to  know  whose 

237 

16— 17th   R. 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

prisoner  1.  am?"  The  lieutenant  replied,  "You  are  in  the 
hands  of  the  Yankees."  "Well/'  said  he,  "this  beats  me 
how  in  all  nation  you  got  in  here.  We  have  two  brigades 
of  infantry,  (2,000  men),  six  pieces  of  artillery  and  we  are 
hourly  expecting  Wade  Hampton's  Legion  of  Cavalry."  The 
prisoner  was  a  sergeant  in  the  famous  Washington  Ar 
tillery,  of  Fredericksburg,  Virginia. 

March  i.  The  head  of  our  column  halted  within  twenty 
paces  of  the  camp  of  a  battery  of  artillery.  I  at  once  in 
formed  Major  Hall  of  the  condition  of  affairs  at  the  front. 
We  were  in  rather  uncomfortable  quarters  and  did  not 
fancy  our  surroundings.  Something  of  some  sort  had  to 
be  done  and  that  very  suddenly.  To  reach  the  bridges  was 
out  of  the  question.  During  the  night  a  courier  had  arrived 
from  General  Kilpatrick,  stating  that  his  column  would 
arrive  here  before  daylight  and  would  cross  the  river  at 
this  point  instead  of  at  Ground  Squirrel  Bridge  as  he  had 
intended.  Upon  this  information  Major  Hall  concluded  to 
hold  fast  and  await  Kilpatrick's  appearance.  Daylight 
however,  showed  the  utter  inexpediency  of  remaining  here, 
as  the  enemy  were  far  stronger,  numerically,  than  we  were, 
and  should  Wade  Hampton  put  in  an  appearance  a  trip  to 
Richmond  for  us,  not  under  Kilpatrick's  command,  was  a 
probability,  if  not  an  assured  fact. 

The  enemy's  guns  were  by  this  time  in  position.  They 
gave  us  a  salute.  The  "long  roll"  of  the  infantry  greeted 
our  ears,  showing  that  they  were  "up  and  going."  We 
held  our  position  for  a  short  time  and  concluded  that  if 
Kilpatrick  desired  to  come  this  way  he  could  do  so.  We 
could  scarcely  be  expected  to  remain  any  longer.  The 
"Johnnies"  would  possibly  inform  Kilpatrick  of  our  having 
been  here.  Our  column  crossed  the  South  Anna  about 
two  miles  farther  west.  The  enemy  did  not  follow  us  for 
which  they  had  our  thanks.  Possibly  from  our  sudden  ap 
pearance  and  disappearance  they  regarded  us  as  a  sort  of 
ignis  fatuus.  At  least  they  gave  us  no  trouble. 

During  the  night  a  one  horse  chaise,  horse  and  harness  had 
been  pressed  into  service  for  the  accommodation  of  the 
wounded  man,  Dr.  Gardner,  surgeon  of  the  Seventeenth 

238 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  volunteering  to  act  as  driver.  Pitch 
balls  and  torpedoes,  which  had  been  carried  on  a  mule,  were 
transferred  to  the  chaise.  During  the  morning  the  doctor 
asked  of  Major  Hall  that  the  torpedoes  he  replaced  on 
the  mule's  back  instead  of  being  carried  in  the  chaise,  as  it 
was  extremely  unsafe  to  carry  them  in  the  vehicle;  jolting 
as  they  did  the  torpedoes  might  explode  and  tear  off  the 
wounded  man's  legs.  Of  course  the  doctor  did  not  want 
his  patient  to  sustain  any  further  injuries.  It  was  not  for 
his  own  safety  that  he  wanted  them  removed. 

During  the  march  this  morning  the  roads  and  woods 
were  full  of  "Johnnies"  g°mg  home  on  furlough.  We  gath 
ered  in  quite  a  number,  but  not  knowing  what  to  do  with 
them  sent  them  on  their  way  rejoicing,  some  taking  their 
capture  very  good-naturedly  while  others  became  angry.  One 
of  the  most  bitter  fellows  we  met  on  this  raid,  when  cap 
tured,  indulged  in  a  tirade  of  braggadocio.  He  talked  of 
"Our  best  men  in  the  field,"  "the  South  could  never  be 
whipped,"  'it  was  a  shame  that  Southern  gentlemen  were 
compelled  to  fight  niggers,"  and  a  lot  of  such  twaddle  made 
use  of  by  braggarts,  leading  every  one  who  heard  him  to 
suppose  that  he  was  a  perfect  pink  of  perfection,  a  pure 
F.  F.  V.  This  man  was  caught  bush  whacking,  shot  a  man 
after  he  had  surrendered,  told  half  a  dozen  lies  in  as 
many  minutes,  and  admitted  that  he  never  owned  a  negro 
in  his  life. 

About  9  a.  m.,  the  command  crossed  over  a  trestle  bridge 
spanning  a  swamp;  after  the  column  had  crossed  Major 
Hall  and  myself  fired  the  bridge  by  igniting  it  and  rolling 
pitch  balls  over  the  floor;  the  timbers  burned  splendidly. 
Not  many  minutes  elapsed  before  we  heard  firing  'at  the 
head  of  the  column.  Not  in  the  least  expecting  an  enemy 
at  this  place,  the  command  was  in  column  of  fours,  with  a 
swamp  on  either  side,  no  room  to  form  line  of  battle,  and 
the  bridge  burning  in  our  rear;  a  pretty  kettle  of  fish! 
Hastening  to  the  head  of  the  column  we  found  that  the 
advance  had  attacked  and  captured  a  train  of  cars  loaded 
with  wood,  on  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad  near  Atlee 

239 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND  RAID 

Station,  and  were  busily  at  work  destroying  the  engine  and 
burning  the  cars. 

Here  we  heard  firing  in  the  direction  of  Richmond  which 
gave  us  assurance  that  Kilpatrick  had  made  the  attack,  re 
lieving  all  anxiety  as  to  his  whereabouts.  His  dispatch  dur 
ing  the  night  that  he  would  join  our  column,  and  not  hear 
ing  anything  from  him,  led  us  to  fear  that  all  was  not  well 
with  him.  Many  were  our  surmises  as  to  his  whereabouts, 
but  the  sounds  of  his  guns  before  Richmond  removed  all 
doubt  and  anxiety.  We  afterwards  learned  that  Kilpatrick 
was  correspondingly  anxious  about  our  command. 

We  struck  the  Brook  Pike  at  Yellow  Tavern  (or  Turn 
er's),  about  seven  miles  northwest  of  Richmond.  Here  we 
met  the  pickets  of  the  Eighteenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  of 
Kilpatrick's  column.  "Gallop  march"  was  the  command  and 
we  soon  met  the  main  column  inside  the  first  line  of  Con 
federate  works  encircling  Richmond. 

The  arrival  of  the  Yankee  troops  was  entirely  unexpect 
ed,  the  indignation  of  quite  a  number  of  very  respectable 
looking  young  women,  who  came  to  the  roadside,  making  use 
of  taunting  expletives,  such  as  no  real  lady  would  be  guilty 
of,  indicating  this,  but  judging  from  their  surroundings  I 
suppose  they  were  considered  ladies  at  home.  One  of  these 
women  was  almost  frantic  with  indignation.  "I  never 
thought,"  said  she,  raising  her  hands  in  holy  horror,  "that 
you  all  should  be  mean  enough  for  this."  No  one  offered 
any  disrespectful  remarks  in  reply.  The  men  were  highly 
amused.  This  course  of  conduct  seemed  to  exasperate  her. 
To  have  Yankee  soldiers  come  there  was  bad  enough,  but  to 
be  laughed  at  by  them  seemed  to  her  to  be  the  height  of 
intolerableness. 

Last  night  after  Hall's  command  left  the  main  column 
Kilpatrick  marched  to  within  nine  miles  of  Ground  Squirrel 
Bridge  and  encamped.  Kilpatrick's  guide,  instead  of  going 
to  Ground  Squirrel  Bridge,  mistook  the  road  and  went  in 
the  direction  of  Ashland.  There  he  came  upon  infantry 
pickets  of  the  enemy.  This  explaned  why  he  did  not  form 
junction  with  our  column.  From  prisoners  he  learned  that 
a  force  of  2,000  infantry  and  six  pieces  of  artillery  was 

240 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND  RAID 

stationed  near  the  railroad  above  Ashland.  This  was  the 
force  Hall's  column  encountered,  and  deceived  the  enemy 
as  to  the  movements  of  the  main  column.  Kilpatrick  struck 
across  the  country  to  the  South  Anna  and  crossed  at  a 
point  three  miles  west  of  Ashland.  At  daylight  Tuesday 
morning  he  moved  on  to  Richmond.  Citizens  knew  nothing 
of  a  force  in  the  city.  Negroes  from  Richmond  that  morn 
ing  said  that  no  attack  was  expected  upon  the  city.  Only 
a  small  force  occupied  the  works  on  the  Brook  Pike.  Mov 
ing  forward  he  surprised  and  captured  the  pickets  and  a 
small  force  of  infantry  in  the  rifle  pits  beyond.  The  enemy, 
becoming  conscious  of  our  presence,  sent  forth  troops  to 
oppose  Kilpatrick's  progress,  but  they  were  easily  driven 
back  until  one  mile  from  the  city.  Here  a  force  of  infantry 
and  artillery  effectually  checked  our  advance. 

A  copy  of  the  Richmond  Examiner  and  Dispatch  of  this 
(Tuesday)  morning,  fresh  from  the  press,  was  found  an 
nouncing  that  about  a  brigade  of  Yankee  cavalry  had  cross 
ed  the  Rapidan  River.  What  must  have  been  their  astonish 
ment  an  hour  later  to  hear  Kilpatrick's  guns  in  front  of 
Richmond,  moving  towards  the  city!  We  could  see  people 
in  the  streets  running  to  and  fro,  carrying  bundles  and  seem 
ing  greatly  excited. 

It  was  now  i  p.  m.  The  entire  force  was  ordered  up. 
Kilpatrick  thoroughly  examined  the  position  of  the  enemy 
and  determined  to  attack,  believing  that  the  enemy  were  for 
the  greater  part  citizen  soldiers.  Every  preparation  was 
made  for  the  attack,  saddle  girths  tightened,  pistols  and  car 
bines  examined.  Brigadier  General  Davies  dismounted  the 
Fifth  New  York  Cavalry,  sending  them  forward  as  skir 
mishers.  Five  hundred  men  under  Major  Patton  went  for 
ward  dismounted  to  support  the  skirmish  line,  to  carry  an 
earthwork  known  as  "Battery  9"  and  a  barricade  that  was 
placed  in  the  road.  The  enemy  was  driven  from  every 
position  and  followed  until  Kilpatrick  found  a  position  for 
his  artillery  which  was  brought  up  and  opened  upon  the 
enemy  now  occupying  a  position  just  outside  the  city. 
Re-enforcements  were  brought  up  and  our  line  extended, 
our  skirmish  line  reaching  to  the  right  as  far  as  the  plank 

241 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

road.  Kilpatrick  was  about  to  advance  the  whole  line,  when 
we  could  see  that  the  enemy  was  being  strongly  re-enforced 
by  infantry  and  artillery. 

Not  having  heard  anything  from  Dahlgren,  who  was  to 
have  entered  the  city  from  the  south  and  had  evidently 
failed  in  that  attempt,  it  would  be  a  failure  to  enter  the 
city  from  this  side.  Kilpatrick  reluctantly  withdrew  his 
command  across  the  Chickahominy  at  Meadow  Bridge 
at  dusk  after  destroying  the  bridges  of  the  Virginia 
Central  Railroad.  Kilpatrick  with  his  usual  audacity  went 
into  camp  about  six  miles  from  Richmond  and  two  miles 
from  the  Chickahominy. 

In  the  various  attacks  upon  the  city,  which  commenced 
at  12  m.  and  continued  until  dark  our  loss  was  about  sixty 
killed  and  wounded.  We  took  two  hundred  prisoners.  The 
fighting  was  very  stubborn  on  both  sides. 

As  we  were  crossing  Meadow  Bridge  I  met  an  old  colored 
man,  to  whom  I  said,  "Sam,  did  you  expect  to  meet  so  many 
Yankees  here  today?"  The  old  fellow  rolled  the  whites  of 
his  eyes,  and  throwing  up  his  hands,  exclaimed.  "Great  good 
Lord,  bless  you  chile,  no !  You'uns  all  come  in  here  so  like 
de  debbil  dat  you  done  scare  de  mars  secesh  clar  out  of 
his  wits,  shu !  I  clar  to  God  you  does.  But  I'se  gwine  along 
wid  you  all.  I'se  gwine  to  be  a  free  man,  bress  de  Lord, 
yah,  yah,  shu !"  And  the  old  darkey  jumped  for  joy. 

After  going  into  camp  it  grew  dark,  and  a  more  dreary, 
dismal  night  it  would  be  difficult  to  imagine,  with  rain,  snow, 
sleet,  mud,  cold  and  wet  to  the  skin,  rain  and  snow  falling 
rapidly,  the  roads  a  puddle  of  mud,  and  the  night  as  dark 
as  pitch.  It  was  a  wild  Walpurgis  night,  such  a  night  as 
Goethe  paints  in  his  Faust,  while  demons  held  revel  in  the 
forests  of  the  Brocken.  We  were  without  shelter,  not  a  tent 
being  in  the  command.  Everything  was  wet,  so  that  it  was 
almost  impossible  to  build  a  fire,  which  meant  no  coffee,  but 
thanks,  we  were  not  long  to  enjoy  our  magnificent  discomfi 
ture,  for  our  friends,  the  enemy,  realizing  our  position,  came 
manfully  to  the  rescue  by  attacking  us. 

At  about  10  p.  m.  Kilpatrick  determined  to  make  another 
attempt  to  enter  the  city.  Lieutenant-colonel  Preston,  of 

242 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

the  First  Vermont  Cavalry,  and  Major  Taylor,  of  the  First 
Maine  Cavalry,  were  selected  to  lead  two  separate  detach 
ments  of  500  men  in  the  road  from  Mechanicsville  to  Rich 
mond,  while  with  the  artillery  and  the  remaining  portion  of 
the  command  Kilpatrick  would  hold  the  bridge  over  the 
Chickahominy  and  cover  their  retreat  with  the  prisoners,  if 
successful.  Those  detachments  had  just  begun  to  move  off 
when  Colonel  Sawyer,  commanding  the  Second  Brigade, 
Third  Division,  reported  that  the  pickets  had  been  driven 
in  on  the  road  from  the  direction  of  Hanover  Court  House. 
A  few  moments  after  the  report,  the  enemy  was  advancing 
in  force  and  rapidly  driving  in  our  line.  A  strong  line  of 
skirmishers  charged  the  enemy,  driving  them  back.  Kil 
patrick  was  still  intent  upon  sending  the  dismounted  expedi 
tion  into  Richmond  to  release  our  prisoners.  Heavy  mus 
ketry  and  carbine  firing  could  now  be  heard  and  a  moment 
later  the  enemy  opened  with  a  battery  of  artillery.  The 
Richmond  battery  was  now  recalled,  as  the  attack  was  be 
coming  serious.  The  enemy  charged,  driving  back  the  Sev 
enth  Michigan.  Our  position  was  held,  but  the  night  being 
so  extremely  dark,  Kilpatrick  decided  to  fall  back.  Some 
one  gave  the  command,  "Stand  to  horse!"  soon  followed  by 
"Mount!"  "Form  ranks!"  "By  fours,  march!"  yelled  every 
body,  when  Kilpatrick's  voice  was  heard  above  all  others, 
"Forward!"  but  just  which  way  was  the  query,  as  it  was 
utterly  impossible  to  distinguish  roads,  points  of  compass  or 
anything  else.  Splash !  splash !  through  the  thin  mud,  fol 
lowing  the  splash  ahead  of  us,  whither  we  knew  not,  but 
following  some  one  who  evidently  knew  the  road. 

After  marching  several  miles,  some  one  from  the  head  of 
the  column  came  riding  to  the  rear.  When  near  me  he  said, 
"Halt  this  command  right  here  and  wait  until  I  return." 
"Who  are  you?"  I  inquired.  "I'm  General  Kilpatrick/' 
Shortly  afterward  he  returned,  saying,  "Where  are  those 
Pennsylvanians  ?"  I  replied,  "Here,  general."  "Follow 
me,"  he  said,  and  the  head  of  the  column  turned  into  a  road 
to  the  right  opposite  to  that  on  which  we  had  halted.  How 
the  general  could  have  seen  the  road  was  a  mystery  to  me. 
We  went  at  a  rapid  gait  through  the  mud.  Daylight  brought 

243 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND  RAID 

us  to  near  Old  Church  Tavern.  A  halt  was  made  at  the  inter 
section  of  the  Mechanicsville  and  Old  Church  Road  and  the 
road  from  Hanover  to  Bottom  Bridge. 

At  daylight  the  enemy  attacked  our  pickets,  but  were 
easily  repulsed.  The  command  here  had  the  first  opportun 
ity  since  leaving  Stevensburg  to  cook  coffee  and  rations.  By 
this  time  all  poultry  had  vanished.  The  men  found  a  stack 
of  corn  blades  at  a  barn  nearby.  Of  course  it  was  confis 
cated  by  the  troopers  for  their  horses.  As  the  bottom 
bundles  were  removed  a  pit  of  sweet  potatoes  was  discover 
ed,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  space  of  time  the  men  were 
busy  roasting  sweet  potatoes,  the  supply  being  quite  liberal, 
enough  to  furnish  a  meal  to  each  trooper. 

We  learn  this  morning  that  our  loss  in  last  night's  attack 
was  two  officers  and  fifty  men,  and  one  hundred  horses.  The 
enemy  were  driven  in  the  direction  of  the  road  to  Hanover 
Court  House. 

After  a  hearty  breakfast  and  horses  well  fed,  at  8  a.  m. 
we  marched  about  a  mile  northeast  of  Old  Church,  twelve 
miles  from  Hanover  Court  House.  On  the  march  my  com 
mand  had  the  rear,  the  enemy  frequently  attacking.  Kil- 
patrick  halted  the  column,  taking  up  a  good  position  and 
prepared  for  battle.  The  enemy  made  his  appearance,  when 
Kilpatrick  ordered  the  First  Maine  to  charge,  driving  the 
enemy  at  all  points  and  taking  a  number  of  prisoners.  They 
belonged  to  Hampton's  Division.  This  was  the  force  that 
attacked  us  last  night  with  a  force  of  mounted  infantry, 
cavalry  and  four  pieces  of  artillery.  This  was  the  last  we 
saw  of  the  enemy.  They  gave  us  no  further  trouble. 

We  remained  here  until  I  p.  m.,  hoping  that  Colonel  Dahl- 
gren  might  come  in.  The  column  marched  to  Putney's 
Ferry,  on  the  Pamunkey,  halting  for  a  short  time,  thence  to 
White  House  Landing,  on  the  same  river,  evidently  with  the 
intention  of  crossing,  but  were  unsuccessful  in  finding  boats, 
as  they  had  been  destroyed  by  the  enemy.  Here  we  found  a 
large  quantity  of  corn,  which  was  very  desirable.  There  was 
enough  to  feed  the  horses  of  the  command,  about  3,000,  be 
sides  taking  two  feeds  on  the  saddle  and  several  thousand 
bushels  remaining.  From  White  House  Landing  we  march- 

244 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

ed  to  Tuntstall's  Station,  on  the  Richmond  and  York  River 
Railroad,  about  twenty  miles  from  Richmond.  On  arriving 
the  command  was  ordered  into  camp  and  to  build  fires.  No 
sooner  were  fires  well  ablaze  than  we  were  ordered  to 
"Saddle  up — move  camp."  This  was  kept  up  until  the 
whole  country  was  lit  up  with  camp  fires,  doubtless  to  create 
the  impression  that  a  large  force  was  encamped  here.  It 
was  rumored  that  a  large  force  of  the  enemy  was  following 
us  and  a  night  attack  expected. 

Here  Captain  Mitchell,  of  the  Harris  light  cavalry,  (Sec 
ond  New  York,  of  which  General  Kilpatrick  had  been  colo 
nel,)  came  in  with  about  250  men,  who  were  with  the  Dahl- 
gren  column.  This  was  the  first  we  learned  of  the  failure  of 
that  part  of  the  expedition  which  prevented  our  going  in 
to  Richmond.  From  all  we  were  able  to  learn  it  appears  that 
Colonel  Dahlgren  had  with  him  a  negro  guide,  who  pro 
fessed  to  be  acquainted  with  the  roads  leading  to  Richmond. 
Instead  of  going  to  Richmond  the  negro  led  him  off  toward 
Goochland,  west  of  Richmond,  and  Tuesday  found  him 
miles  in  the  opposite  direction  from  that  which  he  wished 
to  take.  The  negro  was  promptly  hanged  for  his  treachery. 
The  command  that  reached  us  knew  but  little  of  what  had 
become  of  the  others  as  they  were  divided  into  different 
columns  for  the  accomplishment  of  different  purposes.  Both 
men  and  horses  showed  the  effects  of  hard  service. 

Our  march  thus  far  was  an  ovation  as  far  as  the  colored 
people  were  concerned,  if  it  was  not  with  the  whites.  The 
negroes  were  delighted  to  see  Yankee  troops,  for  to  them  it 
meant  freedom !  Crowding  close  to  the  column,  as  if  for 
protection,  they  asked  permission  to  accompany  us,  which  a 
large  number  of  them  did.  Passing  a  plantation,  the  build 
ings  of  which  were  situated  about  one  hundred  yards  from 
the  road,  we  saw  standing  on  the  porch  of  the  mansion 
"Marster  and  Missis;"  around  them  in  the  yard,  their 
slaves,  forty  or  fifty  in  number.  Of  a  sudden  from  out  the 
crowd  sprang  a  young  woman,  shouting,  "Glory !  Glory, 
hallelujah!  I'se  gwine  wid  you  all!  I'se  gwine  to  be  free!" 
waving  her  sunbonnet,  and  beckoning  to  the  others.  Al 
most  instantly  followed  the  whole  crowd,  madly  rushing 

245 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

down  the  hill.  "Marster"  threatening,  and  gesticulating  wild 
ly,  called  "Come  back  heyer,  you  boys  and  gals,  come  back 
heyer,  right  now,  or  I'll  have  you  flayed  alive."  All  the  con 
solation  he  received  was,  "Good-bye,  ole  Mars,  good-bye, 
Missis !"  and  soon  they  were  mingled  in  the  crowd  of  our 
dusky  followers  to  be  slaves  no  more  forever.  The  bond 
between  master  and  slave  had  been  broken. 

At  another  plantation,  the  slaves  had  congregated  at  the 
yard  gate,  as  the  column  approached.  Seeing  the  large 
number  of  their  own  people,  they  made  a  rush  for  the 
crowd,  whilst  a  tall  woman  among  them,  waving  her  sunbon- 
net  exclaimed,  "Good-bye,  Missis !  Good-bye,  Marster !  We's 
free;  no  more  lashes."  Passing  a  spring  near  the  roadside 
she  waved  her  bonnet  shouting,  "Good-bye,  ole  Spring 
Hill,  I'se  free,  good-bye!"  and  thus  it  was  all  through  the 
march.  Men  were  carrying  bundles  on  their  backs,  women 
carrying  huge  bundles  on  their  heads ;  and  thus  they  march 
ed  and  trudged,  often  weary  and  footsore,  keeping  up  with 
the  column,  from  the  gray-haired  old  negro  bent  over  with 
old  age,  to  the  little  pickanniny  scarcely  large  enough  to 
toddle,  all  anxious  to  be  free,  to  escape  the  tyranny  of  the 
master  and  the  whip  of  the  overseer. 

Thursday  morning,  March  3d.  Broke  camp  early  this 
morning.  We  were  not  disturbed  during  the  night.  Our 
contraband  contingent  was  up  and  astir  betimes.  Possibly 
many  of  them  were  up  all  night  for  aught  I  know,  as  to 
a  majority  of  them  it  was  their  first  night  of  freedom. 

The  troops  slept  soundly,  the  first  opportunity  they  had 
for  rest  since  leaving  Stevensburg. 

During  the  forenoon  we  met  the  Eleventh  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry,  Colonel  Spear.  The  meeting  was  gratifying,  to 
both  parties.  Colonel  Spear  had  information  of  a  column 
of  cavalry  approaching  him,  but  could  not  ascertain  who 
they  were,  whether  friend  or  foe,  which  caused  him  con 
siderable  anxiety.  A  lieutenant  of  the  Eleventh  informed 
me  that  he  had  walked  along  with  out  column  over  two 
miles  during  the  evening  or  night  endeavoring  to  gain  some 
information  as  to  who  we  were,  but  not  a  word  was  spoken 
by  our  men,  each  one  being  tired  and  sleepy. 

246 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

Arriving  at  New  Kent  Court  House,  we  met  a  brigade 
of  colored  troops.  The  first  we  had  ever  seen.  They  were 
drawn  up  in  line  to  receive  us,  and  certainly  no  brigade  of 
troops  that  I  ever  saw  presented  a  better  appearance  or 
made  a  better  impression  upon  those  who  for  the  first  time 
saw  colored  troops.  A  mountain  of  prejudice  was  removed 
in  an  instant.  Heretofore  the  cavalry  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  entertained  a  marked  dislike  for  colored  troops. 
As  the  cavalry  came  in  on  both  sides  of  the  colored  bri 
gade  the  mutual  cheers  were  deafening. 

After  a  short  rest  the  command  moved  to  Burnt  Ordinary 
or  Ordinary  No.  6,  where  we  encamped  for  the  night.  Dur 
ing  the  day's  march,  General  Kilpatrick  with  a  small  escort 
left  the  main  column  to  scout  for  several  hours.  He  was 
attacked  by  bushwhackers,  losing  several  men  killed  and 
taken  prisoners.  A  lieutenant  was  taken  prisoner. 

The  weather  during  the  day  had  been  cold,  raw  and  un 
pleasant. 

During  the  march  thus  far,  our  route  has  been  through 
the  counties  of  Spottsylvania,  Caroline,  Hanover,  Henrico, 
New  Kent,  James  City  and  York.  These  counties  embrace 
nearly  all  of  the  most  aristocratic  portion  of  the  State,  peo 
pled  before  the  war  mainly  by  families  who  boasted  of  their 
ancestry,  the  number  of  negroes,  and  their  broad  acres. 

In  riding  through  these  counties  the  stranger  is  painfully 
impressed  with  the  Sabbath-like  stillness  that  everywhere 
prevails.  Deserted  buildings,  ruined  churches,  with  win 
dows  out  and  doors  ajar,  abandoned  fields  and  workshops, 
neglected  plantations  and  the  ragged,  dejected  and  uncouth 
appearance  of  a  few  people  who  are  to  be  seen  at  home,  the 
almost  entire  absence  of  men  and  boys,  everything  in 
dicating  a  condition  of  affairs  which  nothing  but  civil  war 
could  produce. 

Our  troops  behaved  well  during  the  march.  I  do  no; 
know  of  an  instance  where  private  property  was  destroyed, 
excepting  such  articles  as  were  used  for  food. 

Confederate  money  was  everywhere  plenty.  For  a  $10 
greenback  I  was  offered  a  pile  of  Confederate  bills  large 
enough  to  fill  an  ordinary  saddle  bag.  As  to  the  question 

247 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

of  food,  eggs,  bacon,  hominy  and  bread,  every  family  seem 
ed  to  have  a  little.  Halting  at  a  house  we  inquired  for 
corn.  We  were  given  the  reply  that  they  did  not  have  a 
grain  of  corn.  A  little  searching,  however,  revealed  about 
fifty  bushels  in  a  loft.  The  owner  also  denied  having  bacon, 
but  the  "boy's"  somehow  managed  to  find  quite  a  little  pile 
of  "hog  meat"  concealed  in  an  out  of  the  way  place.  At 
nearly  every  occupied  house  were  found  chickens,  turkeys, 
geese  and  ducks,  and  not  infrequently  a  grunter  was  found 
roaming  in  the  fields.  In  the  timber  would  be  found  the 
regular  "razor-back"  (wild  hog)  of  the  "poor  white  trash," 
These  hogs  we  never  could  get  unless  by  shooting  them. 
They  would  outrun  a  trooper  and  outrun  a  horse.  They 
were  always  tested  to  see  if  they  were  fit  to  eat — punched  a 
hole  through  the  points  of  the  ears — put  a  stick  through 
and  then  lifted  him  up.  If  the  snout  tipped  the  body  down 
he  wasn't  fit  to  eat;  but  if  the  body  tipped  the  head  down, 
why,  it  was  edible.  By  actual  measurement  from  the  end 
of  the  snout  between  the  ears  was  just  a  little  longer  than 
from  that  point  to  the  root  of  the  tail.  This  is  a  real  typical 
Virginia  hog.  It  was  considerable  work  to  catch  those  hogs, 
but  still  we  got  them.  A  meal  of  ham  and  eggs  could  be 
had  at  almost  any  house  for  $25  to  $50  Confederate  money, 
provided  we  furnished  the  sugar,  coffee  and  salt. 

It  was  quite  evident  that  there  was  no  superabundance  of 
food,  but  somehow  a  supply  of  applejack  could  always  be 
obtained  at  $125.00  per  gallon.  Confederate  scrip  was  so 
plenty,  that  $200.00  per  gallon  would  have  been  paid  for  it 
just  as  willingly. 

The  people  said  it  mattered  but  little  to  them  which  troops 
visited  them  as  the  Rebels  took  all  they  could  find,  and  the 
Yankees  treated  them  no  better.  The  nearer  Richmond, 
the  greater  the  animosity. 

Friday,  March  4.  Enjoyed  a  good  night's  rest.  "Boots 
and  Saddles"  at  7  a.  m.  Our  contraband  column  has  grown 
enormously,  must  be  several!  thousand  in  number,  all 
sorts,  shapes  and  sizes,  grave  and  gay,  fat  and 
lean,  black,  yellow  and  white,  no  two  alike,  even  in  color. 
What  a  motley  crowd !  Must  be  seen  to  be  appreciated,  all 

248 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND   RAID 

free !  That  is  the  great  boon.  Freedom !  The  great  end 
toward  which  they  are  striving. 

It  was  really  amusing  to  see  them  start  on  the  march. 
When  "reveille"  sounded  for  the  troops  many  of  the  negroes 
thought  it  was  the  signal  to  march.  Such  a  commotion 
among  them.  Bundles  packed,  everything  in  readiness. 
Some  did  start  out,  but  were  halted  at  the  picket  line  for 
fear  of  being  captured  by  bushwhackers.  When  "Boots  and 
Saddles"  was  sounded  the  march  began  in  earnest,  and  the 
throng  moved,,  but  no  further  than  the  picket  line.  The 
troops  moved  about  an  hour  later,  when  the  whole  colored 
contingent  skedaddled,  except  a  few  stragglers.  The  rear 
guard  had  no  trouble  driving  in  stragglers ;  the  advance 
guard  had  more  trouble  to  keep  them  back,  as  some  were 
quite  fleet  of  foot,  imagining  that  they  were  not  free  until 
they  reached  Yorktown. 

Our  command  arrived  at  Williamsburg  at  10  a.  m.,  and 
saw  William  and  Mary  College,  one  of  the  oldest  institu 
tions  of  learning  in  the  United  States.  Leaving  here  we 
passed  Fort  Magruder,  the  scene  of  Little  Mac's  campaign. 
This  is  quite  a  formidable-appearing  place.  The  country 
between  here  and  Williamsburg  is  well  fortified  with  earth 
works.  The  Eleventh  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  is  encamped 
near  the  fort. 

We  arrived  at  Yorktown  at  4  p.  m.  As  we  approached 
the  heights  west  of  the  town  the  scene  was  indescribably 
grand.  The  York  River  is  seen  leading  into  the  Chesapeake 
Bay.  The  scene  is  new,  novel  to  many  of  our  men.  The 
river  is  rilled  with  our  boats  and  transports.  A  fleet  of 
oyster  boats  is  working  its  way  up  the  river.  A  short  dis 
tance  above  Yorktown  are  two  of  Uncle  Sam's  gunboats; 
moored  out  in  the  middle  of  the  stream  is  an  ironclad. 
Yorktown  is  a  natural  fort ;  heavy  guns  seem  to  surround  it 
on  three  sides.  Outside  of  the  works  are  camps  of  colored 
troops. 

On  descending  the  hill  before  arriving  at  Yorktown,  we 
arrived  at  "Slabtown", — Ben  Butler's  Emancipation  City, 
quite  a  town,  with  streets  regularly  laid  out,  cabins  12  by  18 
feet,  one  story  high,  built  of  pine  slabs,  roof  of  same  ma- 

249 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

terial,  cabins  neatly  whitewashed,  both  inside  and  out,  neat 
fences  around  house  and  yard,  streets  swept  and  kept  scru 
pulously  clean,  everything  in  the  best  condition  possible. 

It  was  a  novel  sight  to  see  so  many  negroes  together,  be 
tween  five  and  six  thousand  of  all  shades  from  the  darkest 
Ethiop  to  the  fairest  octoroon ;  children  in  great  numbers. 
These  people  have  nearly  all  been  slaves,  and  those  that 
were  born  free  say  they  were  no  better  off  than  slaves, 
scarcely  as  well,  until  our  forces  gained  possession  of  this 
section  of  country.  In  this  village  they  have  their  own 
stores,  postoffice,  schools  and  church.  The  men  are  nearly 
all  employed.  Some  fish,  some  drag  for  oysters,  some  work 
at  the  different  trades,  a  large  number  of  them  are  employed 
by  the  government. 

As  soon  as  the  head  of  our  column  was  in  sight  the  in 
habitants  came  out  en  masse.  The  contrabands  of  our 
column  made  a  break  for  the  village.  Such  a  shouting, 
hallooing,  "glory,  glory,  hallelujah,"  singing,  hugging,  kiss 
ing  and  handshaking  I  have  never  seen.  Bundles 
quickly  changed  hands  or  heads,  burdens  lightened,  every 
one  seemed  pleased.  Old  men  who  had  long  been  slaves 
wept  for  joy.  The  scene  beggars  description  and  was  truly 
affecting.  Many  a  trooper,  though  accustomed  to  the  bar 
barities  and  cruelties  of  war,  as  he  looked  upon  this  scene, 
drew  his  coat  sleeve  over  his  eyes,  as  something  welled  in 
his  throat,  spurred  his  horse  and  rode  away  with  thoughts 
of  "When  Johnnie  comes  marching  home." 

During  the  march  to-day  I  heard  the  command  from 
the  rear,  "Give  way  to  the  right"  as  was  the  custom  to  make 
room  for  officers  desiring  to  pass  from  the  rear  to  the  head 
of  the  column.  The  road  being  narrow  the  troopers 
crowded  to  the  right,  when  along  came  a  singular  looking 
character,  dressed  up  in  a  British  uniform,  red  coat  and 
cocked  hat  of  Revolutionary  vintage,  mounted  on  a  horse 
that  had  been  abandoned,  having  neither  saddle,  bridle  or 
halter,  going  at  a  slow  trot,  being  guided  by  patting  him 
on  the  side  of  the  neck.  The  "red  coat"  riding  by  with  all 
the  dignity  imaginable,  turning  his  head  neither  to  the  right 
or  left,  not  a  smile  upon  his  countenance,  merely  replying 

250 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

to  the  interrogatories  that  he  is  a  British  officer  on  a  tour 
of  observation.  He  rode  to  the  head  of  the  column,  Kil- 
patrick  requesting  him  to  ride  with  his  staff. 

We  went  into  camp  southeast  of  Yorktown,  a  short  dis 
tance  outside  the  forts,  in  a  peach  orchard  and  near  the 
camp  of  a  regiment  of  colored  troops,  of  Butler's  Depart 
ment,  whose  soldier  experience  had  thus  far  been  confined 
to  the  use  of  blank  cartridges  and  dress  parades.  In  their 
spick  span  uniforms,  spotless  white  shirts,  collars  and  gloves, 
they  contrasted  strongly  with  our  mud-bespattered,  travel- 
worn  column.  For  we  could  have  said  with  King  Henry : 

"We  are  but  warriors  of  the  working  day : 
Our  gayness  and  our  gilt  are  all  besmirch'd 
With  rainy  marching  in  the  painful  field, 
And  time  has  worn  us  into  slovency." 

One  of  this  gorgeous  party,  who  ventured  some  deroga 
tory  remarks  as  our  column  passed,  seemed  somewhat  in 
doubt  just  as  to  what  had  happened  as  he  slowly  picked 
himself  up,  whether  he  had  come  in  contact  with  the  busi 
ness  end  of  an  army  mule  or  the  iron  fist  of  one  of  Kil- 
patrick's  raiders. 

The  colored  troops  had  a  splendid  camp,  "A"  tents,  com 
pany  street  well  policed,  large  sutler's  tent,  everything  in 
fine  condition.  The  regiment  had  dress  parade  in  the  even 
ing,  as  fine  as  I  ever  saw.  New,  clean  uniforms,  coats, 
forage  caps,  white  shirts,  collars,  white  gloves,  shoes  well 
shined,  the  companies  coming  into  regimental  line  as  if 
moved  automatically.  When  the  command,  "right  dress" 
was  given,  the  eyes  of  the  men  were  as  a  chalk  line  from 
right  to  left.  This  was  in  contrast  with  the  appearance  of 
our  command,  who  would  not  fare  well  if  ordered  out  for 
inspection.  Our  men  presented  a  grotesque  appearance. 
During  the  night  marches  men  fell  asleep,  losing  their  hats 
or  caps.  When  daylight  came  not  a  few  were  without  the 
regulation  headgear.  To  procure  a  hat  was  the  next  im 
portant  move.  The  hatless  trooper  would  possibly  pay  a 
friendly  visit  to  a  farm  house  and  press  into  service  the 
first  hat  he  found,  even  if  it  was  a  high  crowned  silk  hat. 

251 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND   RAID 

Perhaps  some  colored  individual  ventured  too  near  the 
column  and  suddenly  his  hat  would  become  the  property  of 
a  raider.  It  was  indeed  amusing  to  see  the  appearance  the 
command  presented,  especially  in  the  great  diversity  of  hats, 
straw  hats,  high  shiny  silk  hats,  old  fashioned  bell  crowned 
hats,  sun  bonnets,  bonnets  and  "kiss  me  quicks,"  the  broad- 
brimmed  plantation  hats  being  largely  in  the  majority.  In 
the  morning  heads  were  covered  with  handkerchiefs,  feed 
sacks,  anything  to  keep  out  the  cold,  rain  and  snow.  By 
noon  they  had  all  disappeared,  each  trooper  having  procured 
a  hat  of  some  kind.  What  if  General  Meade,  who  is  a  great 
stickler  for  the  regulation  forage  cap — though  he  mostly 
wears  a  hat — should  see  this  command?  The  whole  outfit 
would  be  sent  to  the  guardhouse.  We  greatly  doubt 
whether  any  one  enjoyed  the  appearance  of  the  command 
more  than  did  General  Kilpatrick. 

Saturday,  March  5.  Dismal  night  and  glad  when  day 
light  came  to  our  relief ;  raining  and  snowing  the  greater 
part  of  the  night.  The  command  not  having  tents  made  it 
uncomfortable.  Sleep  was  out  of  the  question,  except  by 
sitting  on  haunches  leaning  against  a  tree,  covered  with  a 
poncho.  As  soon  as  sleep  took  command  the  luckless  troop 
er  would  lose  his  equilibrium,  roll  over  in  the  mud,  get  up 
and  try  it  over.  The  horses  were  very  restless,  being  cold 
and  wet.  Wood  was  scarce  except  what  could  be  gathered 
from  the  peach  orchard.  It  was  green  and  positively  re 
fused  to  burn.  There  was  smoke  in  great  plenty,  but  this 
would  not  warm. 

During  the  night  the  men  looked  with  longing  eyes  upon 
the  well  sheltered  colored  troops,  fine  "A"  tents  with  plenty 
of  straw.  This  longing  steadily  increased  until  about  mid 
night  when  it  took  definite  form.  The  camp  guards  of  the 
colored  troops  were  run  off,  the  camp  attacked  in  force, 
the  colored  troops  skedaddling  from  their  comfortable  quar 
ters,  and  retreating  in  the  direction  of  Yorktown,  in  mortal 
dread  of  Kilpatrick's  cavalry.  The  men  pulled  down  the 
tents  of  the  colored  camp  and  dragged  them  into  our 
bivouac,  some  of  the  men  using  them  for  covering,  though 
they  were  far  from  comfortable,  being  wet,  cold  and  heavy. 

252 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND  RAID 

The  sutler  of  the  colored  troops  was  raided, — a  favorite 
occupation  for  men  having  nothing  else  to  do, — the  men 
finding  plenty  to  eat  and  several  barrels  of  excellent  sweet 
cider.  The  greater  part  of  the  command  was  busy  during 
the  night  at  rather  questionable  avocations,  but  "all  is  fair 
in  love  and  war." 

During  the  day  the  men  were  busy  digging  for  clams. 
Camp  kettles  were  in  demand  for  making  clam  and  oyster 
soup,  the  latter  being  very  plentiful. 

A  citizen  carrying  a  boat  oar  came  into  camp  inquiring  of 
me,  "Be  you  the  officer  in  command  of  these  people?"  I 
answered  in  the  negative,  referring  him  to  General  Davies, 
who  was  sitting  nearby.  "Be  you  in  command  of  these 
people?"  "I  am,  sir,"  replied  the  general.  "What  is  want 
ed  ?"  "Why,"  said  he,  "your  people  have  ruined  my  connor 
by  shooting  into  it,  see  how  this  oar  is  splintered."  A 
"connor"  is  an  oyster  boat.  This  man  had  his  connor  near 
shore,  but  fearing  the  Yankees  might  take  possession  of  it 
and  rake  oysters,  which  of  course  they  would  have  done,  an 
chored  it  some  hundred  yards  from  shore.  Davies  taking 
in  the  situation,  inquired,  "Where  is  your  connor?"  "Out 
thar,  sir."  "What,"  said  Davies,  "you  don't  mean  to  tell  me 
that  my  men  slivered  up  that  oar  with  carbines  at  that  dis 
tance."  "Yes  sir,  that's  what  they  have  done,"  replied  the 
citizen.  "Well,"  said  Davies,  "that's  mighty  good  shooting, 
that's  all,  sir,"  and  the  citizen  was  not  a  whit  better  off  than 
before  consulting  the  general.  Judging  from  his  looks  his 
mind  must  have  been  working  very  rapidly  just  then. 

A  captain  of  my  command,  a  son  of  Erin,  was  industrious 
ly  engaged  during  the  forenoon  in  preparing  clam  soup,  the 
men  furnishing  him  with  a  great  plenty  of  clams.  He  had 
them  shucked  and  put  into  a  kettle  for  the  boiling  process. 
They  boiled,  and  he  kept  up  a  brisk  fire  and  boiled.  The 
more  they  boiled  the  tougher  they  became  until  they  were 
impervious  to  either  knife  or  fork.  The  captain  grew  des 
perate.  Tough  or  no  tough,  soup  he  would  have  and  soup 
he  did  have.  He  was  out  of  pepper,  and  the  sutler  raided 
last  night.  No  pepper  nearer  than  Yorktown.  An  orderly 
was  dispatched  for  pepper. 

253 

17— 17th   R. 


KILPATRICK'S   RICHMOND  RAID 

By  the  time  the  pepper  arrived  the  soup  was  ready,  all 
but  the  peppering.  The  captain  hastily  opened  the  package, 
opening  it  wide,  about  half  of  the  contents  of  the  quarter 
pound  went  into  the  kettle.  It  seemed  a  large  quantity  even 
for  the  captain,  but  the  soup  could  not  be  wasted,  so  down 
went  soup,  clams  and  pepper. 

The  command  had  all  the  clams  and  oysters  they  desired 
and  fared  well. 

Toward  evening  Major  Hall  was  ordered  to  take  four 
hundred  men  of  his  command  and  march  by  way  of  Big 
Bethel  to  Newport,  there  embark  on  transports  for  Ports 
mouth,  Va.,  where  it  was  reported  that  the  enemy  had  made 
an  attack. 

Sunday,  6th.  I  was  employed  the  greater  part  of  the  day 
in  getting  the  command  cleaned  up.  Arms  and  accoutre 
ments  were  put  in  good  condition,  so  that  by  evening  we 
were  reasonably  presentable. 

A  trooper  of  the  Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry  informed 
me  there  was  a  gentleman  in  Yorktown  that  was  acquainted 
with  me  and  desired  me  to  call  on  him.  The  trooper  had 
forgotten  my  friend's  name,  but  knew  that  he  kept  a  store 
in  a  brown  building.  This  was  all  the  information  he  could 
give.  Not  being  acquainted  in  Yorktown,  never  having  been 
there,  it  seemed  like  a  difficult  matter  to  hunt  for  some  one 
on  this  information. 

Monday,  March  7.  Went  to  Yorktown  this  morning  to 
take  a  view  of  the  town,  and  find  my  friend,  if 
possible.  On  entering  the  town  I  find  that  the  majority 
of  the  stores  are  painted  brown,  small  one  story  buildings. 
I  entered  a  brown  building  and  found  it  to  be  a  millinery 
establishment.  Inquiring  of  the  lady  in  attendance  if  there 
was  any  person  in  the  building  that  knew  me,  explaining  my 
errand,  she  seemed  puzzled,  but  replied  that  she  did  not 
know  me.  There  were  several  ladies  in  the  adjoining  room 
but  they  failed  to  recognize  me.  Anyway,  I  wasn't  hunting 
for  female  acquaintances.  It  was  men  or  a  man  I  was  after. 
In  the  next  brown  building  was  a  shoe  store.  The  proprietor 
gave  me  no  encouragement.  He  was  not  acquainted  with 
me,  neither  were  any  of  the  men  who  worked  for  him.  My 

254 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND   RAID 

next  brown  building  was  a  confectionery  presided  over  by 
a  lady  of  uncertain  age.  Her  back  was  turned  toward  the 
door  when  I  entered.  When  she  turned  I  could  readily  dis 
cern  that  she  was  no  spring  chicken.  If  there  had  been  any 
possible  way  of  retreat  I  should  have  chosen  it,  but  the 
door  was  shut.  My  way  of  retreat  was  cut  off.  I  was  com 
pelled  to  face  her.  She  was  lavishly  freckled  with  a  nice 
large,  loud  brand.  She  wore  long  curls,  very  curly,  possibly 
because  it  was  yet  early  in  the  day,  before  the  kinks  had  had 
time  to  come  out.  She  was  of  the  hatchet  face  style  of 
architecture.  Her  off-eye  had  a  strong  squint  to  it.  Her 
voice  in  ordinary  conversation  was  cracked  like,  but  it  soon 
rose  above  the  ordinary.  She  certainly  was  not  altogether 
lovely  to  behold.  I  don't  for  the  life  of  me  see  how  so  sour 
looking  an  individual  can  sell  sweets.  My  courage  sank 
quite  a  numerous  amount  of  degrees.  I  must  have  been  the 
very  personification  of  Bob  Acres.  I  had  just  enough  cour 
age  to  say  "good  morning."  I  inquired  of  her  in  an  exceed 
ingly  meek  tone  of  voice,  "Miss,  (I  chanced  the  Miss)  is 
there  any  one  in  your  establishment  that  is  acquainted  with 
me,  that  knows  me?"  "Know  you!"  she  fairly  hissed,  "No, 
I  reckon  not;  you  are  one  of  Kilpatrick's  thieves,  aren't 
you?"  Here  was  a  grand  tableau.  I  essayed  one  of  my 
most  innocent  smiles,  meekly  replying,  "Miss,  I  belong  to 
the  cavalry  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac."  "Yes,  I  know 
by  your  appearance  that  you  belong  to  Kilpatrick's  murder 
ers,  and  if  there  would  be  any  one  in  my  employ  that  was 
acquainted  with  you,  I  would  discharge  him  at  once,"  and 
she  straightened  up !  up !  up !  as  though  she  would  never 
draw  all  the  kinks  out  of  her  vertebral  column.  She  shot 
out  such  an  acid  look  from  her  straight  eye  that  I  feared  the 
gumdrops  would  turn  sour.  She  pointed  towards  the  door, 
saying,  "Thar  is  the  door."  I  saw  the  door  all  the  time,  it 
was  my  objective  point,  and  took  the  hint  and  left. 

The  next  place  I  merely  opened  the  door  and  asked,  "Any 
one  in  here  knows  me?"  From  a  rear  apartment  came  a 
stentorian  "Yes !  Come  in  Spera,  I  know  you."  It  is  my  old 
friend,  Captain  J.  R.  Bricker,  late  of  the  I79th  Pennsyl 
vania  Infantry,  formerly  of  Lititz,  Lancaster  County,  Pa. 

255 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND  RAID 

After  being  mustered  out  he  located  here  in  business.  I 
had  a  very  pleasant  visit. 

Met  Edward  C.  Darlinton,  formerly  editor  of  the  Lancas 
ter,  Pa.,  Examiner. 

He  brought  a  load  of  wood  to  town.  He  resides  near 
Gloucester.  Invited  me  to  visit  him.  Cannot,  as  we  might 
move  at  any  moment. 

Yorktown  is  an  insignificant-looking  place,  of  small  frame 
buildings.  Three  or  four  buildings  of  Revolutionary  times 
remain.  They  are  built  of  brick  brought  from  England.  The 
forts  surrounding  the  town  are  formidable  looking  struc 
tures,  on  which  are  mounted  guns  of  large  calibre.  The 
works  built  by  General  McClellan  remain.  We  are  now  in 
General  Butler's  department.  Everything  and  everybody  is 
under  strict  discipline. 

Generals  Butler  and  Kilpatrick  arrived  at  Yorktown  this 
evening  from  Fortress  Monroe. 

Major  Hall's  command  arrived  at  Yorktown  this  evening 
and  went  into  camp  at  Gloucester  Point  opposite  Yorktown. 
Hall  reports  reaching  Portsmouth  at  n  a.  m.,  (Sunday,) 
moving  south  of  the  town  several  miles  and  encamping  for 
the  night.  Finding  the  emergency  that  required  the  presence 
of  troops  no  longer  existing,  the  command  took  transports 
on  Monday  for  Yorktown. 

Tuesday,  March  8.  I  crossed  York  River  with  my  com 
mand,  going  into  camp  at  Gloucester.  Here  the  men  were 
better  supplied  with  oysters  than  at  Yorktown,  the  river 
being  wide  and  shallow,  when  the  tide  is  out  being  not  over 
?  foot  to  eighteen  inches  in  depth.  It  is  full  of  oyster  beds, 
being  staked  off  by  poles,  marking  the  corners.  The  men 
had  fine  times  raking  for  oysters,  an  entirely  new  occupa 
tion  to  most  of  them. 

A  citizen  volunteered  to  show  them  beds  of  large  oysters, 
but  it  soon  became  -evident  that  his  purpose  was  to  keep 
them  away  from  his  own  beds.  The  men  informed  him 
that  they  had  no  further  use  for  him,  and  taking  him  by 
the  nape  of  the  neck  and  the  slack  of  the  breeches,  threw 
him  overboard.  He  arrived  on  shore  rather  out  of  humor. 
A  log  stable  was  torn  down,  the  logs  placed  on  a  pile  and 

256 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND  RAID 

set  on  fire.  Sacks  of  oysters  emptied  on  the  burning  logs, 
gave  splendid  roasted  oysters.  It  was  a  great  treat  and 
feast.  Government  rations  were  not  sought  after. 

General  Kilpatrick  was  determined  to  avenge  the  death 
of  Colonel  Dahlgren,  who  is  alleged  to  have  been  killed  in 
a  cruel  and  barbarous  manner.  At  4  a.  m.  a  force  of  2,000 
cavalry,  three  regiments  of  infantry  and  a  battery  of  ar 
tillery  commanded  by  General  Wistar  marched  to  Plymouth. 
From  here  a  party  of  cavalry  went  to  King  and  Qu^een  Court 
House,  met  about  1,200  of  the  enemy,  destroyed  his  camp, 
drove  him  back  twelve  miles,  killing  and  wounding  a  large 
number,  and  taking  thirty-five  prisoners,  destroyed  a 
large  amount  of  Rebel  army  stores  collected  at  King  and 
Queen  Court  House. 

Our  column  went  to  Urbana  Court  House,  thence  to 
Gloucester  Court  House,  where  it  encamped  on  the  night  of 
the  Qth. 

Thursday,  March  10.     Returned  to  Gloucester. 

Friday,  March  u.  My  command  embarked  for  Alexan 
dria  on  the  steamer  "]ohn  Tucker."  The  horses  were  load 
ed  on  barges.  The  trip  to  Alexandria,  Virginia,  was  quite 
pleasant  and  strikingly  in  contrast  with  riding  horseback 
through  rain,  snow  and  mud. 

Saturday,  March  12.  Arrived  at  Alexandria  this  evening, 
going  into  camp  a  short  distance  from  town.  The  men  were 
taken  to  a  Soldiers'  Rest  where  they  were  cared  for.  It 
was  the  intention  of  Major  Hall  to  remain  here  for  a  day 
for  the  purpose  of  drawing  clothing  for  the  men,  but  Gen 
eral  Augur,  commanding  the  Department  of  Washington, 
thought  otherwise.  This  was  brought  about  by  a  Michigan 
trooper  killing  a  negro  soldier,  who  was  on  guard  duty  at 
a  street  corner.  The  trooper  was  riding  along  on  his  way 
to  camp  when  he  was  halted  by  the  guard  and  ordered  to 
dismount,  as  it  seemed  that  none  but  orderlies  were  allowed 
tc  ride  through  the  streets.  The  trooper  drew  sabre,  strik 
ing  the  negro,  severely  wounding  him,  so  that  Kilpatrick's 
cavalry  had  to  move  on  and  Major  Hall's  command  went 
without  new  clothing. 

257 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND  RAID 

I  saw  Kilpatrick's  Englishman  at  Alexandria,  accompany 
ing  the  general ;  will  doubtless  wear  his  uniform  to  camp. 
Had  better  keep  away  from  General  Meade. 

Sunday,  March  13.  Marched  to  Fairfax  stopping  for 
the  night. 

Monday,  I4th.  Marched  to  Warrenton  Junction  and  en 
camped  for  the  night. 

Tuesday,  I5th.  Arrived  in  camp  at  Culpepper.  All  hands 
pleased  to  be  in  our  old  camp.  We  received  our  mail,  wel 
come  letters  from  home. 

In  closing  his  report  on  the  raid  General  Kilpatrick  says, 
-"On  this  raid  my  command  destroyed  the  Virginia  Central 
Railroad  near  Frederick's  Hall  by  tearing  up  the  tracks  and 
culverts.  At  Beaver  Dam  Station  the  station  and  warehouse 
were  destroyed  and  tracks  torn  up.  Tracks  were  torn  up 
above  and  below  Ashland  and  culverts  destroyed.  The  rail 
road  bridge  over  the  Chickahominy  destroyed,  also  viaducts 
and  locks  on  the  James  River  Canal  at  different  points  for  a 
distance  of  thirty  miles  above  Richmond.  Eight  large  mills 
along  the  James  have  been  burned,  filled  with  grain  and 
flour  belonging  to  the  Confederate  Government.  Several 
thousand  copies  of  the  President's  amnesty  proclamation 
were  distributed  throughout  the  entire  country,  and  I  am 
satisfied  that  if  Colonel  Dahlgren  had  not  failed  in  crossing 
the  James  River,  which  he  did  either  through  the  ignorance 
or  treachery  of  his  guide,  or  had  the  enemy  at  Bottom  Ridge 
been  forced  to  remain  at  that  point  by  a  threatened  attack 
from  the  direction  of  Yorktown,  I  should  have  entered  the 
Rebel  capital  and  released  our  prisoners. 

"The  expedition  failed  in  its  great  object,  but  through  no 
fault  of  the  officers  and  men  accompanying  it.  All  did  their 
duty  bravely,  promptly  and  well,  for  which  they  deserve  the 
highest  praise." 

It  had  been  understood  that  Butler  was  to  have  attacked 
at  Bottom  Ridge  simultaneously  with  Kilpatrick  going  into 
Richmond. 

Captain  J.  B.  Mitchell,  of  the  Second  New  York  Cavalry, 
in  his  report  of  the  operations  of  the  Dahlgren  column  to 
which  his  command  was  attached  says  that  Dahlgren's  com- 

258 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND  RAID 

mand  numbering  500  men,  leaving  Stevensburg  on  the  even 
ing  of  the  28th  of  February,  1864,  crossed  the  Rapidan  at 
Ely's  Ford.  Lieutenant  Merritt  and  Scout  Hogan  having 
the  advance,  captured  the  pickets,  reaching  Spottsylvania 
at  early  dawn  on  the  29th,  halting  to  feed  for  fifteen  minutes. 
Here  the  command  left  the  main  column,  marching  to  with 
in  three- fourth  of  a  mile  from  Frederick's  Hall,  at  1 1  a.  m., 
which  was  the  Artillery  Reserve  camp  of  the  Army  of 
Northern  Virginia  (Lee's  army).  Here  they  captured  six 
teen  artillerymen  belonging  to  a  Maryland  battalion.  They 
gave  the  information  that  there  were  three  different  camps 
with  eight  batteries  in  each,  in  all  ninety-six  guns,  with  a 
regiment  of  infantry  and  a  battalion  of  sharpshooters  in  each 
camp.  At  Frederick's  Hall  a  court-martial  was  captured, 
one  colonel,  one  major  and  eight  or  nine  captains.  Colonel 
Dahlgren  decided  not  to  attack  the  camp,  but  move  around 
them.  Railroads  were  torn  up  and  destroyed,  telegraph 
poles  cut  down.  While  the  command  was  thus  engaged  a 
train  from  the  north  approached,  but  seeing  the  fires  did 
not  come  near. 

We  crossed  the  South  Anna  at  10  p.  m.  on  the  29th.  It 
was  raining  and  so  dark  that  it  was  impossible  to  keep  the 
column  closed  up.  Some  fifty  men  were  lost  during  the 
night  but  joined  their  command  at  Goochland.  At  2  a.  m. 
we  halted  about  nine  miles  from  Goochland.  At  daylight 
on  the  morning  of  the  ist  of  March  we  were  marching 
towards  the  James  River,  stopping  at  Mr.  Heston's  house 
twenty-one  miles  from  Richmond.  Here  Colonel  Dahlgren 
ordered  Captain  Mitchell  to  take  one  hundred  men  of  the 
Second  New  York  Cavalry,  proceed  down  the  James  River 
Canal,  destroy  the  locks,  burn  all  mills  and  canal  boats  and 
destroy  all  the  grain  he  could  and  join  Kilpatrick  at  Hun 
gary  Station.  Dahlgren  would  cross  the  James  River  at  a 
ford  which  his  guide  was  to  show  him,  release  the  prisoners 
at  Belle  Isle  and  enter  Richmond  by  way  of  May's  Bridge. 
Here  Captain  M.  Mitchell  was  to  join  him  if  possible ;  if  not, 
to  make  his  way  to  Hungary  Station  to  join  Kilpatrick. 

Along  the  -canal  Mitchell  destroyed  six  grist  mills  filled 
with  grain  and  flour,  saw  mill,  six  canal  boats  loaded  with 

259 


KILPATRICK'S  RICHMOND  RAID 

grain,  barn  well  filled  on  Secretary  Seddon's  plantation,  (of 
President  Davis'  Cabinet),  coal  works  at  Mannakin's  Ferry 
and  Morgan's  lock. 

Arriving  on  the  river  road  we  found  tracks  of  Dahlgren's 
party.  Farther  on  we  found  the  dead  body  of  a  negro 
hanging  from  the  limb  of  a  tree  by  the  roadside.  It  seems 
that  Colonel  Dahlgren  intended  to  cross  the  James  River  by 
a  ford  to  which  his  guide  (the  negro)  promised  to  guide 
him.  There  was  neither  ford  nor  bridge.  The  guide  had 
known  it,  and  Colonel  Dahlgren  in  his  indignation  hung 
him. 

Colonel  Dahlgren,  finding  there  was  no  way  to  cross  the 
James  River  save  by  a  very  small  scow,  abandoned  the  pro 
ject  and  proceeded  to  the  crossroads  eight  miles  from  Rich 
mond,  near  Short  Pump,  where  Captain  Mitchell  joined  him 
at  3  o'clock  p.  m. 

Colonel  Dahlgren  having  gathered  three  wagon  loads  of 
corn,  halted  to  feed  his  horses  while  his  men  got  coffee,  halt 
ing  for  an  hour  and  a  half  when  Kilpatrick's  guns  were 
heard.  Dahlgren's  command  went  inside  the  fortifications 
and  towards  Richmond,  when  they  met  with  strong  opposi 
tion  from  the  enemy,  who  was  being  reinforced. 

It  was  now  growing  dark.  Colonel  Dahlgren  and  Major 
Cook  with  one  hundred  men  had  gone  on.  The  remainder 
of  the  column  lost  sight  of  them  in  the  darkness.  Captain 
Mitchell  took  command,  joining  Kilpatrick's  column  on  the 
afternoon  of  the  second  of  March. 


260 


Ri.v.   I  IKNKV  \V  IIKKI.KK,   D.I). 
Chaplain.  Ocean  Grove,  N.  J, 


REV.  HENRY  WHEELER,  D.D. 

CHAPLAIN  SEVENTEENTH  REGIMENT,  PENNSYLVANIA 
VOLUNTEER  CAVALRY,  OCEAN  GROVE,  N.  J. 

Rev.  Henry  Wheeler,  Chaplain  of  the  Seventeenth  Regi 
ment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  was  born  in  Wed- 
more,  Somersetshire,  England,  February  22,  1835.  He  re 
ceived  his  early  education  in  the  Church  of  England  day 
schools,  and  later  in  the  Wyoming  Seminary,  Kingston,  Pa. 
He  came  to  America,  landing  in  New  York  June  23,  1855 
and  in  August  of  the  same  year  entered  the  itinerancy  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and  served  the  North 
Moreland  Circuit  in  Luzerne  county,  Pa.  In  1856  he  joined 
the  Wyoming  Conference,  and  served  as  pastor  in  Plains- 
ville,  Great  Bend  and  Waymart  in  Pennsylvania. 

When  Colonel  Coe  Durland  of  Honesdale,  Pa.,  recruited 
the  Wayne  county  cavalry  company,  a  number  of  his  par- 
ishoners  enlisted,  and  when  the  company  left  for  Harris- 
burg,  he  accompanied  them.  When  the  Seventeenth  Regi 
ment  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry  was  organized  he  was 
elected  chaplain  and  served  in  that  capacity  until  severe  do 
mestic  affliction  compelled  him  to  resign.  He  was  presented 
with  a  testimonial  as  to  his  fidelity,  and  efficiency  as  chap 
lain,  signed  by  the  commissioned  officers  then  on  duty  with 
the  regiment.  The  testimonial  is  now  in  his  possession- 
After  his  return  from  the  army  he  resumed  his  relations 
with  the  conference  and  served  as  pastor  in  Wilkes-Barre 
and  Wyoming,  Pa.,  and  Waverly,  Owego  and  Norwich, 
New  York",  and  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Otsego  District  in 
New  York.  He  represented  the  Wyoming  Conference  in  the 
General  Conference  of  1876  and  served  as. pastor  in  Kings 
ton,  Pa. 

In  1879  ne  was  transferred  to  the  Philadelphia  Conference 
and  was  successively  stationed  at  Columbia,  at  Christ  Church 
and  Cumberland  Street  Church,  Philadelphia,  and  Phoenix- 
ville,  Media,  Coatesville  and  Wayne.  In  1904  he  was  given 

261 


REV.  HENRY  WHEELER 

a  superannuated  relation  to  the  conference  and  has  since  re 
sided  in  Ocean  Grove,  N.  J-  He  is  a  member  of  the  Ocean 
Grove  Camp  Meeting  Association.  The  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity  has  been  given  him,  and  he  and  Mrs.  Wheeler 
devote  themselves  to  literary  work.  Dr.  Wheeler  has  dis 
tinguished  himself  as  an  author.  His  books  have  a  wide 
circulation,  and  a  number  of  them  are  text-books  in  the 
conference  course  of  study  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church. 

His  son,  Hon.  Post  Wheeler  is  now  secretary  of  the 
American  Embassy  in  St.  Petersburg,  Russia,  and  his  daugh 
ter  is  professor  of  English  literature  in  the  Ohio  Wesleyan 
University,  Delaware,  Ohio. 


262 


THE  CHAPLAIN  AND  HIS  WORK. 

BY    REV.     HENRY     WHEELER,     CHAPLAIN     OF    THE    REGIMENT, 
OCEAN  GROVE,  N.  J. 

The  viewpoint  of  a  chaplain  of  a  regiment  of  soldiers  dif 
fers  from  that  of  every  other  officer.  He  has  but  little  to 
do  with  the  physical  appearance,  the  mental  attainment,  or 
even  the  soldierly  qualities  of  the  men,  but  is  deeply  inter 
ested  in  their  moral  attainments,  their  religious  aspira 
tions  and  enjoyments.  When  these  are  well  attended  to,  and 
the  soldier  is  benefited  by  them,  he  is  a  better  man,  a  braver 
soldier,  a  truer  patriot,  more  intelligent,  with  a  higher  appre 
ciation  of  the  responsibilities  of  his  position  and  duty. 

In  1 86 1,  when  our  Civil  War  broke  out,  the  office  and 
work  of  a  regimental  chaplain  were  almost  unknown.  There 
were  chaplains  in  certain  military  establishments  or  sta 
tions,  but  regimental  chaplains  had  not  been  specially  need 
ed;  but  regiments  amid  the  constant  activities  and  dangers 
of  war  needed  moral  instructors  and  spiritual  advisers,  as 
much  as  they  needed  other  officers.  At  first  the  office  was 
occupied  by  men  appointed  by  political  influence,  without 
much  regard  to  piety  or  other  qualifications  of  a  minister  of 
the  gospel.  Later  it  became  a  matter  of  congressional  en 
actment.  It  was  required  that  a  chaplain  should  be  an  au 
thorized  minister  of  some  religious  denomination;  that  the 
rank  should  be  that  of  "chaplain  without  command,"  and 
that  he  should  be  borne  upon  the  rolls  next  after  the  sur 
geon,  who  ranked  as  major.  No  specific  instructions  were 
given  as  to  his  method  of  labor  or  the  distinctive  duties  that 
were  required  of  him.  Of  course  he  was  known  as  the 
moral  instructor  of  the  regiment,  and  that  one  of  his  duties 
was  to  preach  the  gospel,  but  each  chaplain  was  left  to  make 
and  work  out  his  own  program. 

The  chaplain  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Volunteer 
Cavalry  was  fortunate  in  some  respects.  He  was  elected  to 
his  position  by  the  regiment ;  he  knew  many  of  the  men,  and 

263 


THE  CHAPLAIN  AND  HIS  WORK 

had  served  as  pastor  of  churches  in  three  or  four  of  the 
counties  in  which  the  regiment  had  been  recruited.  He 
knew  the  general  customs  of  the  people,  their  modes  of  wor 
ship,  and  the  religious  trend  of  the  different  communities. 
The  men  of  the  regiment  were  largely  from  country  towns, 
villages  and  farms,  native  born  Americans,  from  the  com 
mon  schools  and  academies  of  the  State,  and  the  well-to-do 
families  and  quiet  homes.  They  were  intelligent  and  patri 
otic.  The  chaplain  had  an  earnest  desire  to  be  useful,  and 
to  promote  the  interests  of  the  men  committed  to  his  care. 
With  prayerful  consideration  he  laid  out  a  plan  of  labor 
which  he  thought  would  keep  alive  the  religious  feeling 
which  had  been  inspired  in  the  hearts  of  the  men  at  home. 
He  knew  that  a  considerable  number  of  them  retained  their 
membership  in  the  home  churches. 

His  plan  was  : 

First.  To  get  the  names  of  all  the  men  who  were  church 
members  and  organize  them  into  a  regimental  church,  or  re 
ligious  association;  then,  get  as  many  more  as  possible  to 
unite  with  them;  men  who  would  manifest  a  disposition  of 
piety  toward  God,  and  a  sincere  desire  to  become  good  men. 
It  was  organized  on  the  broad  platform  of  gospel  truth, 
without  any  reference  to  denominational  peculiarities. 

Second.  To  hold  a  weekly  Bible  class  for  special  Bible 
study  whenever  practicable. 

Third.  A  meeting  for  prayer  and  religious  conversation 
when  such  could  be  held. 

Fourth.  To  visit  the  hospital  every  day  and  hold  such 
services  as  circumstances  would  dictate. 

No  religious  vows  were  enacted  of  the  men  who  became 
members.  A  record  was  kept  of  the  names,  and  the  com 
pany  to  which  they  belonged.  It  was  explained  to  them 
that  they  were  a  company  of  men  having  the  form  of  godli 
ness,  and  seeking  its  power ;  united  in  order  to  pray  together 
and  receive  the  word  of  exhortation,  and  to  watch  over  each 
other  in  Christian  love  and  fellowship,  that  they  might  help 
each  other  to  work  out  their  salvation.  It  was  believed  that 
this  would  fortify  them  against  the  temptations  and  allure 
ments  that  sometimes  prevail  in  soldier  life. 

264 


THE  CHAPLAIN  AND  HIS  WORK 

This  body  of  men,  numbering  at  first  forty-eight,  formed 
a  nucleus  for  a  more  numerous  body  as  time  went  by;  they 
were  very  useful,  doing  good,  coming  to  the  help  of  the 
chaplain  in  singing  and  prayer,  and  reporting  to  him  from 
the  several  companies,  cases  that  needed  his  special  atten 
tion.  We  need  hardly  say  that  these  plans  were  but  imper 
fectly  carried  out,  as  the  cavalry  were  almost  constantly  on 
the  move  and  frequently  divided  one  squadron  in  one  place 
and  another  somewhere  else.  But  a  good  system  imperfectly 
worked  is  better  than  no  system,  and  we  know  that  good 
was  accomplished. 

In  Washington  we  secured  books,  especially  New  Testa 
ments,  but  the  men  were  fairly  well  supplied  with  Bibles 
from  home.  We  also  secured  Scripture  tablets  to  hang  in 
the  hospital,  where  they  could  easily  be  seen. 

A  good  part  of  the  winter  of  1862-63  we  were  in  camp 
near  Stafford  Court  House.  Here  the  chaplain  had  good 
opportunities  for  work.  On  December  25th  he  held  service, 
preaching  from  the  text,  "Let  us  now  go  even  unto  Bethle 
hem,  and  see  this  thing  which  is  come  to  pass,  which  the 
Lord  hath  made  known  unto  us"  (Luke  2:15).  It  was  a 
discourse  appropriate  to  Christmas  Day.  The  same  evening 
we  held  a  prayer-meeting,  and  about  twenty  men  came  for 
ward  and  had  their  names  recorded  as  members  of  our  regi 
mental  church.  My  diary  written  the  same  night  says:  "It 
was  a  good  time;  the  Lord  was  with  us  and  His  name  was 
glorified.  May  the  Lord  bless  the  men  who  have  given 
themselves  to  Him.  May  they  become  good  earnest  Chris 
tians  and  show  that  they  have  been  with  Jesus  Christ  and 
learned  of  Him,  how  to  deny  themselves  all  ungodliness  and 
worldly  lusts,  and  live  righteously,  soberly  and  godly  in  this 
sinful  world." 

The  winter  of  1862-63  was  the  darkest  and  most  discour 
aging  time  of  the  Civil  War ;  but  few  victories  had  crowned 
our  armies.  September  22,  1862,  Mr.  Lincoln  issued  a  pre 
liminary  proclamation,  saying  that  unless  the  inhabitants  of 
the  revolted  States  returned  to  their  allegiance  by  January 
i,  1863,  the  slaves  should  be  declared  free.  The  Emancipa 
tion  Proclamation  was  issued  and  the  slaves  were  liberated ; 

265 


THE  CHAPLAIN  AND  HIS  WORK 

that  was  a  great  and  memorable  event  in  the  history  of  our 
nation  and  the  world. 

On  the  first  Sunday  morning  in  January  we  had  a  large 
number  of  officers  and  men  assemble  for  divine  service.  At 
that  time  we  had  near  us  the  Fourth  and  Ninth  New  York 
and  the  First  Maryland  Cavalry.  I  gave  as  the  text  for  the 
occasion  Neh.  9 137-38,  "We  are  in  great  distress.  And  be 
cause  of  all  this  we  make  a  sure  covenant,  and  write  it,  and 
our  princes,  Levites  and  priests  seal  unto  it."  The  occasion 
that  called  forth  this  covenant  among  the  Jews  was  the  New 
Year's  celebration.  The  distress  had  been  occasioned  by 
their  unfaithfulness  to  God;  the  covenant  was  their  New 
Year's  resolve  to  be  faithful  and  obedient  to  the  law  of  God. 
To  the  American  people  the  great  distress  was  the  terrible 
war  in  which  we  were  then  engaged,  the  covenant  was  the 
proclamation  of  the  President  giving  freedom  to  the  slaves, 
bringing  the  nation  into  accord  with  advancing  civilization 
and  the  law  of  God ;  the  sealing  of  it  was  by  the  President, 
by  or  with  the  consent  of  the  people.  From  that  date  we 
looked  for  the  favor  of  God  and  the  success  of  our  armies. 
Some  officers  present  discussed  the  discourse  later,  and  said 
the  chaplain  was  blameworthy  for  presenting  a  theme  that 
was  political,  and  in  favor  of  abolition  of  slavery.  The 
friend  who  reported  it  to  me  said,  "Chaplain,  the  regiment 
is  with  you  to  a  man."  In  my  diary  of  that  date  I  wrote : 
"My  sermon  was  objected  to  because  it  was  in  favor  of 
abolition  of  the  slaves,  but  the  country  and  people  will  learn 
what  is  God's  plan  in  this  great  work  when  they  have  suf 
fered  enough.  God  grant  it  may  be  in  time  to  save  the  na 
tion." 

In  February  we  went  into  camp  at  Acquia  Church,  a  few 
miles  back  of  Acquia  Creek  Landing.  Here  we  found  a  fine 
old  church  in  a  beautiful  oak  grove.  I  liked  the  appearance 
of  the  church  and  set  myself  about  getting  it  for  religious 
purposes.  I  found  a  guard  placed  there  by  General  Kane, 
to  protect  the  church.  I  went  to  General  Kane  and  obtained 
an  interview  with  him.  I  found  him  to  be  a  pleasant,  affable 
gentleman.  He  was  a  brother  of  the  great  explorer,  Elisha 
Kent  Kane.  I  asked  him  to  give  me  permission  to  use  the 

266 


THE  CHAPLAIN  AND  HIS  WORK 

church  for  religious  purposes.  He  said,  "I  sent  the  guard 
there  without  being  asked  to  do  so  by  the  vestry,  and  of 
course  I  can  take  it  away  at  my  pleasure.  I  am  glad,  Mr. 
Wheeler,  that  I  have  an  opportunity  of  showing,  at  least 
once,  that  I  consider  the  two  churches,  Protestant  Episcopal 
and  Methodist  Episcopal  as  one."  He  at  once  gave  me  a 
written  order,  which  now  lies  before  me : 

"HEADQUARTERS,  SECOND  BRIGADE,  FIRST  Divv  TWELFTH  A.   C, 

NEAR  STAFFORD  CHURCH,  VA.,  FEBRUARY  13,  1863. 
"The  guard  from  this  brigade,  stationed  at  Acquia  Church,  will 
be  subject  to  the  orders  of  Rev.  Mr.  Wheeler,  Chaplain  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

"By   order   of    Brigadier-general    Kane, 

"JNO.  P.  GREEN,  Capt.  &  A.  A.  G." 

I  expressed  my  thanks  to  the  general  for  his  kindness  and 
retired.  This  was  the  only  time  the  chaplain  was  "in  com 
mand"  while  in  the  army.  The  guard  was  sent  back  to  their 
regiment,  and  men  of  the  Seventeenth  were  detailed  to  clean 
the  church  and  put  it  in  condition  for  religious  service. 

The  church  had  a  varied  history.  Over  one  door  was  this 
inscription:  "This  church  was  built  in  1751,  burned  down  in 
1754,  rebuilt  in  1757.  Mourning  Edwards,  undertaker;  Wil 
liam  Copen,  mason."  John  Moncure  was  rector  when  it  was 
founded.  A  marble  tablet  on  the  inside  of  the  church  read : 
"In  memory  of  the  race  of  the  house  of  Moncure."  The 
Rev.  Moncure  D.  Conway,  who  attained  celebrity  as  preacher 
and  writer,  was  born  and  reared  in  this  neighborhood,  and 
the  wife  of  Rev.  Prof.  Marsh,  of  Lafayette  College,  Easton, 
Pa.  (I  think  a  sister  of  Moncure  Conway),  many  years  later 
gave  me  her  blessing  for  protecting  the  graves  of  her  an 
cestors.  I  had  taken  the  church  from  men  who  had  made 
fireplaces  of  the  gravestones.  Here  some  of  our  men  died 
of  fever,  and  some  were  killed  while  on  picket  duty.  Some 
bodies  were  sent  home  in  coffins  made  of  cracker  boxes, 
and  others  were  buried  here.  On  March  i,  1863,  Harvey 
Seawright,  of  Company  A,  was  buried  with  military  honors, 
a  man  highly  respected  by  his  comrades.  Funeral  service 
was  held  in  the  church,  which  was  filled.  The  chaplain 
preached  from  II  Samuel  14:14,  "For  we  must  needs  die, 

267 


THE  CHAPLAIN  AND  HIS  WORK 

and  are  as  water  spilt  upon  the  ground,  which  cannot  be 
gathered  up  again;  neither  doth  God  respect  any  person: 
yet  doth  He  devise  means  that  His  banished  be  not  expelled 
from  Him." 

While  at  the  old  church  I  penned  the  following  reflections : 
"The  soldiers  from  the  East,  West  and  North  lie  buried  by 
the  side  of  the  men  'of  the  house  of  Moncure.'  There  is  peace 
among  those  whom  death  has  brought  low.  Death  is  the  lev- 
eler  of  all  distinctions,  the  settler  of  all  strife.  Friend  and 
foe  will  rest  together  until  the  last  day.  The  soldier  has 
made  his  last  retreat ;  no  weapon  can  reach  him  now,  but  he 
will  come  forth  to  the  last  great  roll  call  at  the  archangel's 
reveille.  Is  it  possible  that  a  base  and  traitorous  flag  will 
ever  wave  over  the  graves  of  our  fallen  heroes?  God  for 
bid  !  May  the  graves  in  which  their  ashes  repose  ever  be 
guarded  by  the  Stars  and  Stripes. 

"Lightly  they'll  talk  of  the  spirits  now  gone, 

And  o'er  their  cold  ashes  upbraid  them; 
But  little  they'll  reck,  if  they  let  them  sleep  on 

In  the  graves  where  their  comrades  have  laid  them." 

One  Sunday  after  preaching  service,  an  ofd  citizen  of  the 
place  told  me  that  last  year  a  chaplain  of  a  Tennessee  regi 
ment  preached  here  and  told  his  men  in  a  few  weeks  he 
would  preach  to  them  from  the  steps  of  the  capitol  in  Wash 
ington  from  the  text,  "  Shout,  for  the  Lord  hath  given  you 
the  city"  (Josh.  6:16).  The  chaplain's  promise  was  never 
fulfilled ;  from  that  onward  no  Rebel  force  was  ever  as  near 
as  the  Acquia  Church  to  the  capitol  building. 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  the*  chaplain  bears  testimony  to 
the  excellent  moral  bearing  of  the  regiment,  to  the  gentle 
manly  courtesy  of  officers  and  men.  He  had  free  access  to 
all,  and  was  the  confidant  of  some.  There  is  no  recollection 
of  any  act  of  discourtesy  or  slight ;  no  barrier  was  placed  in 
his  way,  and  all  his  services  were  gladly  received  in  public 
and  in  private. 

It  was  his  pleasure  to  visit  the  hospital,  to  read  the  Scrip 
tures,  to  offer  prayer  and  call  attention  to  the  promises  that 
hung  on  the  walls  of  the  tent.  At  such  times  conversation 

268 


THE  CHAPLAIN  AND  HIS  WORK 

was  eagerly  listened  to,  and  letters  from  home  were  read, 
and  answers  written  by  the  chaplain. 

When  the  regiment  was  sent  to  Alcock's  farm,  on  the 
Warrenton  Pike,  the  discharge  papers  of  some  sick  men 
were  carried  away  with  the  regimental  records  while  the 
men  remained  in  the  hospital  at  Acquia  Church.  The  chap 
lain  made  the  journey,  somewhat  dangerous  and  difficult, 
alone,  obtained  the  papers,  and  the  men  were  sent  home. 
This  was  thankfully  appreciated. 

The  presence  of  the  chaplain  was  a  restraint  even  to 
those  whose  language  was  not  always  religious  or  moral. 
He  knew  that  some  officers  were  easily  provoked  to  intem 
perate  words,  but  when  the  chaplain  was  present  never  an 
oath  was  uttered.  If  any  intoxicants  were  in  camp  they 
were  never  used  by  officers  or  men  in  the  presence  of  the 
chaplain. 

Now,  after  the  lapse  of  forty-five  years,  all  of  which  have 
been  spent  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel  of  Christ,  he  has 
never  found  any  employment  or  station  that  gave  him  more 
satisfaction  than  the  time  spent  as  chaplain  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry;  not  for  the  pleas 
ure  of  the  life,  but  for  the  need  of  such  service  among  the 
soldiers  as  a  chaplain  can  render,  and  for  the  good  he  could 
do  for  God,  for  his  comrades  and  his  country. 

It  was  with  great  regret,  at  the  advice  of  his  fellow  offi 
cers  who  knew  the  circumstances,  that  he  left  the  service  on 
account  of  severe  domestic  affliction,  and  was  honorably  dis 
charged,  bearing  with  him  the  written  testimony  of  thirty- 
two-officers,  all  that  were  then  on  duty  with  the  regiment. 
The  testimony  was  as  follows : 

"WHEREAS,  Rev.  Henry  Wheeler  has,  on  account  of  domestic 
affliction,  thought  best  to  resign,  therefore  be  it 

"Resjolved,  That  we  lose  in  Mr.  Wheeler  a  faithful  and  efficient 
chaplain,  whose  services  have  been  eminently  successful  and  uni 
versally  acceptable.  While  he  has  been  with  us  he  has  maintained 
his  Christian  integrity  unimpeachable,  and  it  is  with  regret  that  we 
recognize  the  necessity  of  his  retirement,  but  he  leaves  with  our 
very  best  wishes  for  his  future  success." 

269 

18— 17th   R. 


THE  CHAPLAIN  AND  HIS  WORK 

It  was  also  a  great  satisfaction  to  him  that,  since  the  war, 
he  has  been  recognized  as  a  worthy  comrade,  and  has  had 
the  sad  privilege  of  officiating  at  the  burial  of  several  of  the 
chief  officers  of  the  regiment.  It  will  ever  remain  a  grati 
fication  to  him  that  he  served  with  a  regiment  that  distin 
guished  itself  in  action,  and  was  second  to  none  in  fidelity 
and  service. 


270 


JACOP.  A.  LOOSE. 
Sergeant,  Company   K,  Palmyra,  Pa. 


THE  BATTLE  OF  COLD  HARBOR. 

BY  SERGEANT  J.  A.  LOOSE,  COMPANY  E,  PALMYRA,  PA. 

The  latter  part  of  May,  1864,  found  General  Robert  E. 
Lee's  army  strongly  entrenched  on  the  south  side  of  the 
North  Anna  River,  about  twenty  miles  from  the  Confederate 
capital,  with  all  the  approaches  to  Richmond  well  guarded, 
thus  giving  him  a  decided  advantage  over  General  Grant's 
army.  Again  General  Grant  advanced  General  Meade's 
army  by  its  left  flank,  crossing  the  Pamunkey  River  near 
White  House  Landing.  In  this  movement  General  Sheri 
dan,  with  his  entire  corps,  was  in  the  advance,  and  on  May 
26,  1864,  the  First  Division,  under  command  of  General 
Alfred  T.  A.  Torbert,  marched  to  Mangohick  Church  where 
it  made  a  short  halt.  During  the  same  night  we  marched  in 
the  rear  of  the  division,  and  about  daybreak  reached  the 
Pamunkey  River  opposite  Hanovertown.  On  the  morning 
of  May  2/th,  we  crossed  the  river  on  a  pontoon  bridge  and 
immediately  went  into  position,  right  in  front  of  Hanover- 
town,  in  support  of  a  battery.  Later  in  the  engagement  our 
regiment  made  a  flank  movement  under  cover  of  a  woods 
and  advanced  toward  the  road  leading  to  Hanovertown.  In 
this  movement  the  regiment  captured  two  Confederate  offi 
cers  and  about  twenty  men.  The  enemy  was  now  in  full  re 
treat,  hotly  pursued  by  our  entire  brigade.  Upon  reaching 
Crump's  Creek  our  further  advance  was  interrupted  by  a 
strong  force  of  the  enemy  and  the  bridge  across  the  creek 
had  been  partly  destroyed. 

May  28th, — During  the  night  the  bridge  was  temporarily 
repaired.  Early  in  the  morning  our  regiment,  having  been 
sent  across  the  creek  to  reconnoiter,  found  that  the  enemy 
had  retired  about  two  miles  to  a  strongly  fortified  position. 
After  a  brisk  skirmish,  finding  the  Confederates  strongly 
entrenched,  we  were  relieved  by  troops  of  the  Sixth  Corps ; 
and  later  in  the  day,  marched  with  the  brigade  to  Hawe's 
Shop,  where  we  were  massed  in  column  of  squadron  in 
support  of  other  cavalry  troops  who  had  preceded  us  and 
were  then  hotly  engaged.  About  dark  we  marched  to  Han 
overtown  and  bivouacked  for  the  night. 

271 


THE  BATTLE  OF  COLD  HARBOR 

May  29th, — We  crossed  the  Totopotomoy  Creek  and  took 
a  position  on  the  Old  Church  Road. 

May  3Oth, — The  regiment  was  sent  out  to  picket  the 
Cold  Harbor  Road.  About  one  hour  after  the  pickets  were 
posted,  they  were  attacked  and  driven  across  the  Matade- 
quin  Creek.  The  regiment  rallied  in  support  of  the  picket 
reserve,  the  Rebel  cavalry  was  dispersed  and  the  original 
picket  line  reestablished.  About  one  hour  after  the  first 
attack  our  pickets  were  again  driven  in,  and  the  regiment 
was  again  hurried  to  the  front.  The  engagement  now  be 
came  general.  The  enemy  made  a  desperate  effort  to  force 
a  passage  across  the  creek.  Our  regiment  fought  dismount 
ed  and  held  them  in  check  until  the  Sixth  New  York,  dis 
mounted,  formed  on  our  right,  and  the  Ninth  New  York, 
also  dismounted,  formed  on  our  left.  More  troops  were 
massed  in  our  rear,  which  later  became  warmly  engaged. 
Our  ammunition  having  become  exhausted,  we  were  tem 
porarily  relieved  by  the  Second  Regulars  who  took  up  our 
position  in  the  line.  After  the  regiment  had  retired  there 
was  a  general  advance  and  the  enemy  was  driven  from  the 
field.  Late  in  the  afternoon  we  marched,  with  the  brigade, 
to  White  House  where  we  encamped  for  the  night.  May 
3  ist,  Colonel  Devin,  our  brigade  commander,  received  the 
following  order: — 

"HEADQUARTERS,  CAVALRY  DIVISION,  MAY  31,  1864. 
"Colonel  Devin,  Commanding  Second  Brigade,  First  Division,  Cav 
alry  Corps. 

"Colonel :  There  will  be  an  advance  of  the  division  on  Cold  Har 
bor  this  p.  m.  You  will  be  in  the  saddle  and  start  promptly  at  4 
p.  m.  on  the  road  where  your  scouts  went  this  morning.  From  all 
information  I  can  gain,  you  can  go  within  one  and  a  half  miles  of 
Cold  Harbor  without  meeting  their  pickets.  Keep  a  few  men  ahead, 
and  when  they  meet  the  enemy,  halt  and  let  your  command  close  up. 
When  you  hear  that  I  am  well  engaged  on  the  right,  where  General 
Merritt  will  advance,  I  want  you  to  make  a  bold  dash  for  Cold 
Harbor.  It  is  possible  you  may  have  to  dismount  a  regiment  to  at 
tract  the  enemy,  but  you  must  send  one  or  two  sabre  regiments  in 
among  their  lead  horses.  General  Custer  will  send  one  regiment 
across  the  country  from  his  present  position,  starting  at  4  p.  m. 
Caution  your  men  of  this,  and  don't  fire  on  them  if  they  get  into 
Cold  Harbor  in  advance,  or  while  marching  up  there.  Have  no 
bugle  calls  while  getting  ready.  Endeavor  to  communicate  with 

272 


THE  BATTLE  OF  COLD  HARBOR 

me  across  the  country.  I  will  be  on  the  road  where  General  Mer- 
ritt  is.  Yours,  etc.,        "A.  T.  A.  TORBERT, 

"Brigadier-general     of  Volunteers,     Commanding    First     Cavalry 
Division." 

We  started  at  the  hour  named,  with  the  Ninth  New  York 
in  advance.  When  within  two  miles  of  Cold  Harbor  a  line 
of  pickets  was  discovered.  They  proved  to  be  the  pickets 
of  the  Fifth  Michigan.  We  passed  through  this  picket  line, 
and,  about  one  mile  from  this  point,  the  advance  was  fired 
upon  by  the  Rebel  pickets.  A  charge  made  by  the  Ninth 
New  York  revealed  the  fact  that  the  enemy  were  strongly 
entrenched.  Our  regiment  was  dismounted  and  advanced 
through  the  woods.  We  immediately  became  heavily  en 
gaged,  losing  a  number  of  men.  We  had  almost  reached 
Cold  Harbor  when  we  were  confronted  with  another  barri 
cade,  and  in  a  charge,  failed  to  dislodge  the  enemy.  The 
Ninth  New  York  came  to  our  support,  also  dismounted. 
With  this  support  the  regiment  charged  again  and,  after  a 
short  but  brisk  engagement,  the  enemy  was  forced  out  of 
his  entrenchments,  retiring  in  the  direction  of  Gaines  Hill. 
Not  a  moment's  time  was  lost  until  we  fought  our  way 
into  Cold  Harbor.  In  this  engagement  the  regiment  lost 
thirty  men  in  less  than  half  an  hour.  About  midnight  the 
entire  brigade  was  withdrawn  from  Cold  Harbor,  virtually 
to  the  same  position  we  occupied  in  the  morning,  yielding 
the  ground  we  paid  for  so  dearly  during  the  day. 

June  2d, — The  regiment  was  ordered  to  proceed  again 
in  the  direction  of  Cold  Harbor,  endeavoring  to  find  some 
road  leading  to  the  left  of  the  position  we  occupied  the 
previous  day,  and  open  a  line  of  communication  with  the 
infantry  line.  But  from  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  country 
in  this  vicinity  it  was  found  impossible  to  make  such  a 
connection.  Failing  to  accomplish  our  purpose,  we  made 
a  detour  some  miles  and  found  ourselves  at  Summers' 
Bridge,  where  General  Gregg  was  engaging  the  enemy. 

June  3d, — The  regiment  rejoined  the  brigade. 

June  4th, — Marched  to  Old  Church  where  the  Fourth 
New  York  Regiment  was  assigned  to  our  brigade.  At  the 
same  time  a  number  of  remounted  men  reported  for  duty. 

273 


BUGLERS  AND  BUGLE  CALLS. 

Next  to  the  first  sergeant,  of  the  enlisted  men  in  a  cavalry 
company,  the  bugler  was,  possibly,  one  of  the  most  con 
spicuous,  as  nearly  all  the  camp  services  and  regimental 
drills  were  directed  by  bugle  calls.  The  regiment  had 
twenty-five  buglers,  two  to  each  company  and  one  chief 
bugler.  The  chief  bugler  ranked  as  a  sergeant  and  was  at 
tached  to  the  regimental  non-commissioned  staff.  While 
company  buglers  were  members  of  their  respective  com 
panies,  they  were  also  subject  to  the  orders  of  the  chief 
bugler. 

The  buglers  would  observe  regular  periods  of  practice  un 
der  the  instruction  of  the  chief  bugler,  just  the  same  as  com 
panies  would  observe  their  drill  periods.  They  would  also 
be  detailed  for  duty  as  other  similar  details  were  made.  As 
the  bugler,  each  day,  would  report  for  duty,  he  would  re 
ceive  from  the  adjutant  the  orders  of  the  various  calls  to 
be  observed  during  the  day  as  prescribed  by  the  command 
ing  officer. 

BugeiSsly  °f  The  first  cal1  m  the  morning,  usually  about  five  o'clock, 
was  "Assembly  of  Buglers."  The  buglers  would  assemble 
at  headquarters  and  in  concert  sound  "Reveille."  This  was 
the  signal  for  the  men  to  get  out  of  bed  (if  in  bed  at  all) 
and  get  ready  for  roll  call.  About  fifteen  minutes  later,  the 
buglers,  again  in  concert,  sounded  the  "Assembly  Call." 
Each  company  was  then  obliged  to  form  in  line,  on  its  own 
grounds,  and,  after  being  dressed  by  the  first  sergeant,  he 
would  step  about  six  paces  in  front  of  the,  company  and 
give  the  command  "Pay  Attention  to  Roll  Call."  The  ser 
geant  would  then  call  the  name  of  every  member  of  the 
company.  Each  man  was  obliged  to  answer  for  himself, 
and  woe  to  the  man  who  failed  to  answer  roll  call,  unless 
he  had  a  legitimate  excuse.  Failing  to  answer  roll  call 
usually  meant  extra  duty  of  some  kind.  After  roll  call 
the  sergeant  was  required  to  make  daily  reports  to  his  com 
manding  officer  of  the  men  in  camp;  the  number  that  were 
sick,  in  their  quarters,  or  in  the  hospital;  the  number  pres- 

274 


BUGLERS  AND  BUGLE  CALLS 

ent  for  duty;  the  number  detailed  for  duty;  those  absent 
with  leave,  and  those  absent  without  leave,  as  well  as  such 
other  requirements  as  were  specified  by  the  regulations. 
These  reports  were  consolidated  at  regimental  headquarters 
and  then  transmitted  to  brigade,  division  and  corps  head 
quarters,  and  finally  to  department  headquarters,  so  that 
the  general  commanding  a  department  could  always  know 
how  many  men  he  could  depend  upon  for  field  service. 

Immediately  after  roll  call,  the  bugler  at  headquarters  stable  caii 
would  sound  "Stable  Call."  This  call  was  not  always  uni 
formly  observed.  When  the  regiment  was  regularly  en 
camped  the  custom  was  for  the  company  to  reform,  each 
man,  with  nose-bag  in  hand,  and  march  in  a  body  to  the 
quartermaster's  quarters,  draw  forage,  and  then  each  one 
feed  and  curry  his  horse.  This  order  was  not  always  fol 
lowed  ;  other  methods  were  in  vogue  as  conditions  suggest 
ed.  After  the  horses  were  fed  and  groomed  "Breakfast  Breakfast 
Call"  was  sounded,  when  the  men  prepared  and  ate  their  Cal1- 
breakfast.  As  long  as  the  regiment  was  settled  in  regular 
quarters,  company  cooks  were  usually  detailed  who  would 
take  charge  of  the  rations  and  prepare  them  for  the  entire 
company.  Each  man  would  take  his  plate  and  tin  cup  and 
receive  from  the  company  cook  his  allotted  ration  already 
cooked.  During  active  campaigning  this  method  was  not 
practicable.  As  a  whole  I  think  the  men  invariably  preferr 
ed  to  receive  their  rations  each  man  for  himself.  Some  liked 
their  coffee  strong,  others  weak ;  some  liked  it  sweet,  others, 
with  little  or  no  sugar  in  it;  some  liked  their  meat  rare, 
others,  well  done ;  some  wanted  their  beans  baked,  some 
preferred  bean  soup,  and  thus  their  tastes  differed ;  and,  by 
receiving  the  rations  raw,  each  man,  or  two  or  more  club- 
ing  together,  could  prepare  their  meals  to  suit  their  tastes. 

The  next  call  was  "Sick  Call."  In  reponse  to  this  call,  sick  CM 
those  who  were  sick  reported  at  the  surgeon's  quarters  or 
hospital  tent  for  prescriptions.  In  consequence  of  the  num 
ber  of  men  in  a  regiment  exposed  to  all  kinds  of  climatic 
changes,  the  meager  shelter  they  had,  and  the  arduous 
duties  they  performed,  the  sick  calls,  as  a  rule,  were  well 
patronized.  While  the  true  patriotic  soldier  only  responded 

275 


BUGLERS  AND  BUGLE  CALLS 

to  sick  call,  when  in  absolute  need  of  medical  aid,  there 
were  always  those  to  be  found  in  every  company,  who,  to 
escape  guard  or  fatigue  duty  or  to  keep  out  of  battle,  would 
feign  illness.  Too  often  they  succeeded,  thus  compelling 
their  immediate  associate  to  do  service  which  they  were  just 
as  able  to  perform. 

Water  Call.  The  next  was  "Water  Call."  If  the  camp  was  near  a  stream 
of  water,  which  was  invariably  the  case,  if  possible,  this  was 
a  simple  service;  but  when  it  became  necessary  to  take  the 
horses  a  mile  or  more  to  water,  it  was  a  matter  of  no 
small  concern  and  consequence.  The  writer  distinctly  re 
members  the  horsewatering  trips  the  regiment  used  to  make, 
twice  a  day,  from  Camp  McClellan,  through  the  city  of 
Harrisburg,  to  the  Susquehanna  River  about  two  miles  dis 
tant,  and  how  some  of  the  men  would  take  advantage,  in 
that  way,  to  ride  a  horse  out  of  camp,  and,  at  some  con 
venient  spot  along  the  route,  turn  the  horse  over  to  some 
one  else  in  the  line,  and  either  ride  back  into  camp  again 
during  one  of  the  following  trips  or  run  the  guard  line  dur 
ing  the  night. 

Fatigue  caii.  The  next  call  was  ''Fatigue  Call."  When  in  regular  camp 
it  was  of  the  utmost  importance  to  maintain  the  best  possible 
sanitary  conditions.  For  this  purpose  a  sufficient  number 
of  men  were  detailed  each  day  for  fatigue  duty,  policing 
and  cleaning  'the  streets,  stables,  mess-tents,  burying  refuse 
matter,  getting  wood  and  water  for  the  cooks,  and  what 
ever  other  similar  duties  were  necessary. 

Guard  Mount.  Now  that  the  men  were  breakfasted,  the  horses  fed, 
groomed  and  watered,  the  sick  cared  for,  the  regular  mili 
tary  duties  of  the  day  really  only  commenced,  and  so  the 
next  call  was  "Guard  Mount."  Excepting  reviews  and  dress- 
parades,  guardmount  always  appealed  to  the  author  as  the 
most  impressive  of  military  services.  Details  of  one  or  more 
commissioned  officers  and  a  sufficient  number  of  men  from 
the  respective  companies,  who  reported  at  headquarters  for 
provost  duty,  were  always  made  the  preceding  day.  At 
the  call  of  "Guard  Mount,"  the  first  sergeant  of  each  com 
pany  would  report  his  detail  to  the  adjutant  of  the  regiment 
and  was  obliged  to  remain  until  such  detail  had  passed  in- 

276 


BUGLERS  AND  BUGLE  CALLS 

spection.  Failing  to  qualify,  substitutes  had  to  be  furnished 
at  once.  While  the  details  were  marched  to  the  color  line, 
the  regimental  band  would  play  marching  music.  The  band 
would  also  discourse  music  during  the  inspection  of  the 
guard  and,  at  the  proper  time,  sound  off,  the  same  as  dur 
ing  dress-parade.  The  new  officer  of  the  day  would  then 
receive  from  the  retiring  officer  his  orders,  after  which  the 
new  guard  would  be  divided  into  three  reliefs ;  first,  second 
and  third.  Each  relief  would  be  on  duty  for  two  hours  and 
four  hours  off,  out  of  the  twenty-four  hours.  The  new 
officer  of  the  day  would  also  report  to  the  adjutant  or  com 
manding  officer  for  further  instructions. 

The  next  call  was  "Drill  Call."  If  the  weather  permitted,  Drin  can. 
from  nine  to  twelve  o'clock  was  devoted  to  company  drills, 
and,  as  company  commanders  usually  determined  the  fore 
noon  drills,  they  were  of  different  kinds,  drills  by  squads, 
drills  by  company,  drills  mounted  and  drills  dismounted; 
drills  in  the  manual  of  arms,  such  as  carbine,  sabre,  revolver 
and  other  branches  of  military  tactics.  At  first  these  drills 
were  much  enjoyed  by  the  men  and  there  was  keen  com 
petition  between  some  of  the  companies,  but  the  novelty 
soon  wore  off,  and  later  the  men  would  complain,  occasion- ' 
ally,  that  drills  were  excessive.  To  be  drilled  and  drilled 
by  company,  and  then  drilled  and  drilled  by  squadron,  and 
then  drilled  over  and  over  again  by  regiment,  soon  became 
monotonous  and  tiresome.  But  the  men  soon  learned  that 
such  training  and  discipline  was  essential  to  prepare  th^m 
for  the  more  strenuous  duties  that  were  to  follow. 

The  next  bugle  call  was  a  more  cheerful  one,  "Recall."  It   Recall, 
was  the  recall  from  the  drill  ground,  and  was  welcomed  by 
all,  who  tired,  dusty  and  hungry  gladly  repaired  to  camp 
to  await  the  next  and  even  more  welcome  of  the  various 
calls,  "The  Dinner  Call."     About  two  hours  was  allowed 
for  dinner  when  again  we  hear  the  sound  of  the  bugle  sound 
ing   the   "Assembly    Call    for    Regimental    Drill."    At   two    Assembly  can 
o'clock  the  companies  are  marched  on  the  color  line,  dress-    Drill  ei 
ed  by  the  adjutant  and  turned  over  to  the  colonel  or  some 
one  designated  by  him  for  regimental  movements.     These 
drills  were  invariably  directed  by  bugle  notes  and  it  was 

277 


BUGLERS  AND  BUGLE  CALLS 

surprising  how  soon,  both  men  and  horses  learned  the  mean 
ing  of  the  bugle  sounds,  and  became  masters  of  the  move 
ments  required  of  them.  Usually  no  call  was  necessary 
for  regimental  recall,  as  the  commanding  officer  would  dis 
miss  them  at  his  pleasure. 
Assembly  Caii  At  about  four  o'clock  the  headquarter  bugler  would  sound 

for  Dress 

Parade.  the  "Assembly  Call  for  Dress  Parade."     Dress  parade  was 

the  most  imposing  of  all  our  military  ceremonials.  The  men 
were  expected  to  wear  their  best  clothing  and  generally  to 
appear  to  the  best  possible  advantage  before  their  comman 
der.  Immediately  after  the  second  call  of  the  bugle,  the 
regimental  band  would  strike  up  some  familiar  selection  of 
marching  music,  and  the  respective  companies,  in  their  regu 
lar  order,  would  form  on  the  color  line,  with  the  band  on  the 
right  of  the  line.  After  the  line  was  formed  by  the  adju 
tant,  he  would  command  the  band  to  sound  off.  The  band 
would  then  play  again,  move  forward  about  thirty  feet,  then 
make  a  left  turn  and  march  along  the  entire  front,  and,  when 
it  reached  the  left  flank,  wheel  and  march  back  over  the 
same  ground  and  take  its  position  again  at  the  right  of  the 
line.  The  commanding  officer,  with  his  staff  behind  him, 
would  take  a  position  about  one  hundred  feet  in  front  facing 
the  line.  At  the  command  of  the  adjutant,  the  officers  ad 
vanced  about  five  paces  in  front  of  their  companies.  The 
adjutant  now  commanded  the  orderly  sergeants  to  advance 
to  the  centre  of  the  line  and  make  their  reports,  after  which 
they  returned  to  their  respective  companies.  The  adjutant 
now  read  or  published  any  orders  which  may  have  been 
received  from  the  War  Department,  corps,  division  or  bri 
gade  headquarters,  or  issued  by  the  commanding  officer  of 
the  regiment.  The  adjutant  next  commanded  the  officers  to 
advance  to  the  front  and  centre  and  escorted  them  in  line 
to  within  about  ten  paces  of  the  commanding  officer  with  a 
military  salute.  If  the  commanding  officer  had  any  instruc 
tions  to  give,  complaints  or  compliments  to  make  to  the  offi 
cers,  this  was  the  time  when  it  was  usually  done.  This  done 
there  were  a  few  minutes  for  mutual  congratulations,  when 
the  officers  separated,  the  companies  marched  to  their  quar 
ters,  broke  ranks,  and  the  military  work  of  the  day  was  over. 

278 


BUGLERS  AND  BUGLE  CALLS 

We  now  have  in  close  succession  the  evening  calls, 
"Water  Call,"  "Stable  Call,"  "Supper  Call"  and,  about 
nine  o'clock,  another  "Roll  Call." 

Then  there  were  a  number  of  special  calls,  such  as  "Offi 
cers  Call,"  "First  Sergeants  Call,"  "Boots  and  Saddles,"  and 
"Taps."  "Boots  and  Saddles"  would  always  create  a  stir 
and  bustle  in  camp,  especially  when  it  was  meant  for  the 
breaking  of  camp  and  going  on  a  march  or  getting  ready 
to  go  into  a  fight. 

"Taps"  was  the  last  call  and  was  usually  sounded  about 
ten  o'clock  p.  m.  It  meant  "Lights  Out"  when  all,  save 
those  on  duty,  were  supposed  to  be  in  bed. 

Then  too,  the  buglers  of  a  cavalry  company  were  a  kind 
of  emergency  men,  being  used  as  messengers  to  the  com 
missioned  officers,  to  look  after  the  sick,  to  have  charge  of 
the  mail,  to  act  as  substitutes  for  details,  or  to  pick  up  odds 
and  ends  of  various  kinds  not  definitely  defined  by  military 
regulations.  I  repeatedly  took  the  place  of  my  chum,  if 
not  on  duty  myself,  when  he  had  been  detailed  for  duty. 

Then,  too,  the  buglers  had  their  episodes  and  diversions 
as  well  as  any  other  branch  of  the  service.  I  recall  an 
incident  which  may  interest  the  reader.  The  chief  bugler 
of  our  regiment  had  seen  service  as  a  bugler  in  the  regular 
army  before  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  He  was  of  Irish 
extraction,  and  his  physique  was  considerable  below  the 
average  both  as  to  height  and  weight.  He  was  an  expert 
bugler  and  he  knew  it.  He  was  as  proud  as  a  peacock,  and, 
as  far  as  circumstances  would  permit,  his  dress  was  fault 
less.  His  ambition  was  to  have  the  best  bugler's  corps  in 
the  brigade,  which,  it  was  generally  admitted,  he  had.  To 
accomplish  this  he  may  have  been  a  trifle  over-officious  and 
possibly  a  little  too  rigid  in  his  discipline.  His  ideal  was 
the  regular  army  regulations  and,  in  his  zeal  to  conform  to 
that  standard,  he  frequently  caused  the  displeasure  of  his 
subordinates. 

This  was  especially  evidenced  in  strained  relations  which 
soon  developed  between  the  chief  bugler  and  one  of  the 
company  buglers.  It  was  a  contention  between  the  regular 
army  and  the  volunteer  army.  The  chief  bugler  had  no  use 

279 


BUGLERS  AND  BUGLE  CALLS 

for  the  volunteer  soldier,  and  the  company  bugler  had  no 
use  for  the  regular  soldier.  When  the  chief  bugler  would 
insist  on  having  things  done  according  to  regular  army 
regulations,  this  company  bugler  would  insist  in  doing  them 
in  his  own  way  and  say,  "That  is  the  volunteer  army  regula 
tion."  Such  disobedience,  according  to  regular  army  regu 
lations,  would  have  to  be  reported  to  headquarters.  These 
complaints  became  somewhat  monotonous,  so,  on  a  certain 
occasion,  the  chief  bugler  and  this  company  bugler  were 
called  into  the  presence  of  Colonel  Coe  Durland  who,  after 
hearing  the  charge  and  the  defense  in  this  particular  com 
plaint,  said,  he  could  not  render  a  verdict  unless  he  had 
some  corroborative  evidence,  whereupon  the  company  bugler 
suggested  that  he  and  the  chief  bugler  take  a  walk  outside 
of  the  guard  line  and  quietly  talk  the  matter  over  and  re 
port  to  the  colonel  later.  This  proposition  was  accepted. 
When  they  returned  the  company  bugler,  who  was  very 
much  taller  and  heavier  than  the  chief  bugler,  seemed  to 
have  the  worst  of  the  "talkover."  The  chief  bugler  said 
to  the  colonel,  "This  was  the  easiest  job  I  had  for  a*  long 
time."  The  company  bugler  accepted  the  verdict  and  said 
"Colonel,  I  guess  the  regular  army  regulations  are  right." 
This  amused  Colonel  Durland  very  much  and  they  all  joined 
in  a  hearty  laugh. 

This  little  episode  placed  a  chip  on  the  chief  bugler's 
shoulder  and  the  regular  army  regulations  were  more  pro 
nounced,  and  again  the  two  buglers  were  called  into  the 
presence  of  Colonel  Coe  Durland  and,  because  statements 
made  by  each  were  so  contradictory,  he  again  declined  to 
pass  judgment  upon  their  grievances  without  corroborative 
evidence.  The  chief  bugler  then  said  "Perhaps  Abe  would 
like  to  have  another  'talkover.'  "  This  challenge  was  prompt 
ly  accepted  and  again  the  two  buglers  walked  outside  of  the 
guard  line,  unattended,  and  quietly  talked  the  grievances 
over.  When  they  reported  to  the  colonel,  Jimmy,  as  he 
was  familiarly  known,  looked  as  though  he  had  decidedly 
the  worst  of  the  "talkover"  and  admitted  that,  this  time, 
the  volunteer  regulation  was  right.  Colonel  Durland  then 
gave  them  some  good  fatherly  advice,  and  expressed  the 

280 


BUGLERS   AND   BUGLE   CALLS 

hope  that  he  would  never  hear  any  more  complaints  from 
that  source,  saying  that,  if  either  of  them  should  annoy  him 
again  with  more  complaints,  he  would  be  reduced  to  the 
ranks.  Thereupon  the  two  buglers  shook  hands,  and  after 
that  were  the  best  of  friends. 


281 


SERVICE  RECORD  OF  PRIVATE  H.  F.  LONG, 
Company  I,  Harrisburg,  Pa. 

WAR!  WAR!  WAR!  These  words  composed  the  head 
lines  in  large  tpye  of  an  article  that  appeared  in  the  weekly 
paper  that  came  to  my  father's  house  about  the  middle  of 
April,  1 86 1.  The  article  gave  a  detailed  account  of  the  fir 
ing  upon  and  surrender  of  Fort  Sumter  in  the  harbor  of 
Charleston,  South  Carolina.  I  was  then  a  young  man 
twenty  years  of  age,  living  in  a  rural  district,  and  was  not 
sufficiently  informed  on  affairs  national  to  pass  an  intelligent 
opinion  upon  such  a  rash  act.  But,  with  the  meager  infor 
mation  I  had,  I  could  not  construe  it  as  other  than  treason ; 
and,  as  such,  I  condemned  it  with  all  my  heart.  I  recall  how 
my  patriotic  nature  was  stirred  and  how  anxious  I  was  to 
keep  posted  on  all  the  movements  touching  the  war.  I  was 
especially  interested  in  the  patriotic  response  of  the  loyal 
people  of  the  North  to  the  President's  call  for  75,000  volun 
teers  to  suppress  the  rebellion;  and  in  the  excitement  that 
followed  the  Baltimore  riots,  the  death  of  Colonel  Ells 
worth  in  Alexandria,  Virginia,  the  defeat  of  the  Union 
army  at  Bull  Run,  the  successes  and  defeats  of  the  Pen 
insular  campaign,  the  Maryland  invasion,  and  other  im 
portant  events  as  they  unfolded  in  quick  succession  with 
out  any  decided  advantage  on  either  side.  All  of  which  con 
vinced  me  that  more  men  were  needed  to  defeat  the  pur 
poses  of  the  hot-headed  leaders  of  the  Southern  Confed 
eracy  to  destroy  the  Union. 

On  the  very  day  when  the  battle  of  Antietam  was  fought, 
T  was  in  my  father's  field  cutting  clover  seed.  A  neighbor 
and  friend  of  mine  came  along  the  road  who  invited  me  to 
go  with  him  to  New  Bloomfield,  to  enlist  in  Captain  John 
B.  McCallister's  cavalry  company.  The  invitation  was  ac 
cepted,  the  cradle  was  hung  on  the  fence,  and  I  joined  my 
friend  on  the  way  to  New  Bloomfield,  stopping  however 
long  enough  at  my  father's  home  to  say  good-by.  Reaching 
New  Bloomfield  our  names  were  soon  enrolled.  We  took 
the  places  assigned  us  in  the  company  and  left  for  Harris- 
burg,  Pa. 

282 


I  I  KXRY     F.    L().\'<i. 

Company   I,  Harrisbur 


SERVICE  RECORD  OF  PRIVATE  LONG 

We  arrived  at  the  capital  city,  and  were  escorted  to  Camp 
Simmons,  adjoining  Camp  Curtin.  I  at  once  began  to 
adjust  myself  to  the  new  mode  of  life  so  suddenly  thrust 
upon  me.  I  now  realized  that  I  had  left  home  and  friends, 
cut  loose  from  civic  life  and  joined  the  army.  That  I  was 
no  longer  privileged  to  do  as  I  pleased,  but  had  to  obey  the 
orders  of  my  superiors,  right  or  wrong.  Not  possessing  a 
very  strong  constitution,  I  soon  took  sick  and  was  permitted 
to  return  home  for  several  weeks.  When  I  rejoined  the 
company,  the  regiment  had  been  transferred  to  Camp  Mc- 
Clellan,  about  a  mile  north  of  the  city  of  Harrisburg.  In 
this  camp  we  were  furnished  with  horses  and  other  equip 
ments.  I  considered  myself  most  fortunate  in  having  as 
signed  me  a  good  horse  that  proved  one  of  the  best  in 
the  company.  I  became  very  much  attached  to  him,  and 
he  served  me  well.  I  am  very  sure  he  saved  me  from  be 
ing  captured  at  the  battle  of  Occoquan,  Virginia.  In  a  skir 
mish  we  had  with  the  Confederate  cavalry,  being  on  the 
flank  with  several  others,  the  Rebels  expected  to  cut  off 
our  retreat.  But,  remembering, 

"That  he  who  fights  and  runs  away, 
May  live  to  fight  another  day," 

we  did  our  very  best  to  escape ;  and  here  is  where  my  faith 
ful  horse  saved  me  from  being  captured. 

After  we  joined  the  regiment  at  Acquia  Creek,  in  Staf 
ford  county,  Va.,  I  was  detailed  as  an  orderly  at  Fifth 
Corps  headquarters.  My  duties  as  an  orderly  and  a  carrier 
of  dispatches,  frequently  placed  me  in  communication  with 
various  commands  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  I  there 
fore  had  opportunities  to  learn  something  of  the  different 
movements  not  generally  known  to  the  rank  and  file.  I  was 
with  the  headquarters  of  General  George  Meade  during  the 
battle  of  Chancellorsville.  It  was  in  this  fight  that  I  had 
a  good  opportunity  to  see  much  of  the  manly,  soldierly 
qualities  and  bearing  of  General  Meade,  which,  in  my 
humble  opinion,  places  him  on  an  equality  with  Generals 
Grant,  Sherman  and  Sheridan. 

283 


SERVICE  RECORD  OF  PRIVATE  LONG 

After  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville,  we  returned  to  Acquia 
Creek  near  Falmouth  and  occupied  virtually  the  same  camp 
we  did  just  before  we  left  for  Chancellorsville.  Embolden 
ed  by  the  defeat  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at  Chancellors 
ville,  the  Confederate  army  took  the  initiative,  moved  out 
of  its  strong  position,  and  started  for  Maryland  and  Penn 
sylvania.  The  Army  of  the  Potomac  followed  on  the  flank. 
Orderlies  for  messenger  duty  were  almost  constantly  in 
demand  and  their  services  were  most  arduous.  We  were  in 
the  saddle  almost  day  and  night. 

We  arrived  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  on  the  afternoon  of  June 
30,  1863.  As  we  rode  through  the  streets  of  Gettysburg  my 
patriotic  heart  was  stirred  because  of  our  warm  reception. 
The  college  boys  sang, — "We'll  hang  Jeff  Davis  on  a  sour 
apple  tree."  At  another  place  a  group  of  girls  sang, — 
"Rally  round  the  Flag."  And  still  a  little  later  a  number 
of  young  ladies  sang  the  "Star  Spangled  Banner"  for  us. 
We  were  not  accustomed  to  such  welcome  greetings,  and 
our  hearts  were  greatly  cheered.  We  camped  for  the  night 
in  a  field  adjoining  the  Mummasburg  Road,  just  in  the  rear 
of  Seminary  Ridge.  Companies  E,  F  and  M,  all  under  the 
command  of  Major  J.  Q.  Anderson,  were  detailed  for  picket 
duty  that  night,  with  the  reserve  post  on  Seminary  Ridge 
near  the  Seminary.  The  picket  line  extended  from  Rock 
Creek  to  the  Mummasburg  Road.  Early  in  the  morning 
of  July  ist,  the  enemy  drove  in  our  pickets,  and  the  regiment 
was  formed  in  line  of  battle  on  the  open  ground  some  dis 
tance  in  advance  of  the  ridge. 

Being  mounted  we  were  a  good  target  for  both  the  enemy's 
artillery  and  infantry.  The  fighting  now  commenced  in 
earnest.  We  were  dismounted,  sent  our  horses  to  the'  rear, 
took  a  position  behind  a  stone  wall  which  extended  along 
the  ridge,  and  successfully  resisted  several  charges  made 
by  the  enemy  until  we  were  relieved  by  the  First  Corps.  The 
regiment  then  extended  the  line  of  battle  on  our  right  flank 
and  soon  came  in  contact  with  the  enemy  advancing  on  the 
Carlisle  Road.  On  account  of  overwhelming  numbers  we 
were  forced  back,  retreating  in  good  order  through  the 
town  and  took  a  position  on  Cemetery  Hill.  At  the  close  of 

284 


SERVICE  RECORD  OF  PRIVATE  LONG 

the  first  day's  fight  I  felt  discouraged.  It  was  a  hard  fight 
all  day  against  superior  numbers.  But  as  one  corps  after 
the  other  came  on  the  field  during  the  night,  I  felt  more 
hopeful.  Some  time  during  the  night  we  took  a  position 
on  the  left  of  the  Emmittsburg  Road,  almost  immediately  in 
the  rear  of  the  Peach  Orchard,  where  we  were  engaged 
early  the  following  morning,  skirmishing  with  the  enemy 
until  relieved  by  the  Third  Corps.  We  then  formed  on  the 
left  of  the  Third  Corps  and  extended  the  line  to  the  Wheat 
Field,  Devil's  Den  and  Little  Round  Top,  until  we  were  again 
relieved  and,  during  the  afternoon,  marched  to  Westminster 
to  protect  General  Meade's  wagon  train. 

At  Gettysburg  General  Robert  E.  Lee  met  with  so  disas 
trous  a  defeat  that,  after  the  third  day's  fight,  he  immediate 
ly  put  his  army  in  motion  to  recross  the  Potomac  River,  in 
to  Virginia  again.  The  Cavalry  Corps  was  concentrated  at 
Frederick  City,  Maryland,  no  doubt  with  a  view  of  making 
a  strong  demonstration  to  harass  General  Lee's  rear,  and, 
if  possible,  to  capture  his  supply  train.  Moving  in  the  di 
rection  of  Williamsport  we  met  the  enemy  in  the  vicinity 
of  Boonsborough  and  Funkstown.  We  participated  in  al 
most  daily  skirmishes,  but  General  Lee  had  his  retreat  so 
well  covered  that  little  damage  was  done  to  his  army,  and 
he  safely  recrossed  the  Potomac  at  Falling  Waters.  We 
crossed  the  Potomac  River  at  Berlin,  July  15,  1863,  and  were 
again  on  Virginia  soil.  Space  will  not  permit  me  to  follow 
the  regiment  during  the  fall  and  winter  campaigns. 

May  9,  1864,  we  were  again  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Rapidan  River.  In  rapid  succession  the  battles  of  Todd's 
Tavern,  Yellow  Tavern,  Meadow  Bridge,  Hanovertown, 
Hawe's  Shop,  Old  Church  and  Cold  Harbor  were  fought. 
I  recall  an  incident  that  occurred  when  the  troops  of  the 
Fifth  Corps  relieved  our  regiment,  that  was  amusing  to  me. 
I  think  it  was  at  the  Old  Church  fight.  As  I  passed  General 
Warren,  one  of  his  men  approached  him  and  asked  the 
general's  permission  to  go  to  the  rear,  saying  that  he  was 
sick.  The  general  replied,  "There  is  no  going  back,  every 
thing  now  is  going  forward,  get  in  line  and  move  on." 

285 

19— 17th  R. 


SERVICE  RECORD  OF  PRIVATE  LONG 

During  the  engagement  at  Cold  Harbor,  May  31,  1864, 
we  made  several  mounted  charges,  on  the  enemy's  line,  but 
failed  to  dislodge  him.  We  were  then  dismounted  and 
charged  again  over  the  same  ground,  in  an  open  field,  when 
two  bullets  struck  me  in  my  left  arm.  I  was  removed  to  an 
improvised  hospital,  established  in  an  old  grain  barn  and, 
during  the  night,  my  left  arm  was  amputated.  The  follow 
ing  day,  with  other  wounded,  I  suffered  a  painful  ride  over 
rough  corduroy  roads,  in  a  heavy  army  wagon,  to  White 
House  Landing  where  we  were  placed  on  transports  to 
Washington,  D.  C.  Among  the  wounded  was  a  man  who 
had  received  only  a  slight  wound.  I  thought  to  myself,  if 
I  were  not  wounded  more  seriously  than  he,  I  would  be 
very  thankful.  Yet  that  man  died  on  the  boat  before  we 
arrived  at  Washington,  and  I,  at  the  age  of  seventy,  am 
still  living.  After  spending  five  months  in  the  hospital,  I 
was  granted  a  furlough,  came  home  and  cast  my  first  vote 
for  Abraham  Lincoln  for  President  of  the  United  States, 
an  act  of  which  I  have  been  proud  ever  since.  I  was  dis 
charged  from  the  United  States  service,  November  28,  1864, 
on  account  of  wounds  received  in  action.  I  am  a  member 
of  Post  58,  G.  A.  R.,  Department  of  Pennsylvania,  and  have 
spent  thirty-seven  years  in  the  gospel  ministry. 


286 


RECRUITS  OF  THE  REGIMENT. 

Because  of  the  strenuous  services  and  exposures  of  the 
men  who  composed  the  regiment  during  1862  and  1863,  its 
ranks  became  very  much  depleted.  To  replenish  this  loss 
the  ranks  were  filled  with  new  recruits. 

During  the  winter  of  1864  the  regiment  received  many 
new  recruits,  and  it  soon  developed  that  the  very  friendly 
and  cordial  feeling  of  comradeship  which  originally  existed 
between  the  enlisted  men  and  the  officers  was  no  longer  a 
distinguishing  feature.  The  lines  drawn  between  the  new 
recruits  and  the  officers  became  more  marked.  As  a  rule, 
the  old  soldiers  were  men  of  higher  intelligence,  and  prompt 
ly  accepted  the  orders  of  their  superiors  without  question. 
Many  of  the  recruits  were  of  inferior  intelligence,  requir 
ing  the  enforcement  of  more  rigid  discipline  to  harden  and 
instruct  them  for  efficient  service. 

Recruits  may  be  divided  into  at  least  three  classes : 

The  first  class  may  be  described  as  honest  and  straight 
forward  men  who  went  into  the  service  from  patriotic  mo 
tives,  the  same  as  did  the  old  volunteers,  and  gracefully  ac 
cepted  the  stern  realities  of  a  soldier's  life.  They  donned 
the  blue  uniform  as  it  was  issued  to  them,  whether  it  was 
well  fitting  or  not.  They  found  no  fault  when  detailed  for 
duty  and  were  willing  and  eager  to  learn  the  art  of  war. 
This  class  of  recruits  soon  made  friends  with  the  old  sol 
diers  and  thus  avoided  many  of  the  practical  jokes  which 
were  frequently  practiced  on  the  recruits  by  the  old  sol 
diers. 

The  second  class  of  recruits  may  be  described  as  "dudes," 
who  came  to  camp  with  brand-new  uniforms,  which  were 
not  only  made  to  fit  well,  but  were  frequently  of  the  finest 
material.  Their  caps  were  embellished  with  bright  shining 
insignias  of  the  various  companies  to  which  they  had  been 
assigned.  They  frequently  wore  new  heavy  top  boots,  elab 
orately  stitched  in  colors  with  some  military  design,  white 
collars  and  boiled  shirts,  or,  if  woolen,  those  of  the  finest 
quality.  As  long  as  their  money  lasted  they  had  little  use 

287 


RECRUITS  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

for  the  army  rations  that  were  issued  to  them ;  they  would 
purchase  their  subsistence  from  the  army  sutler,  if  one  was 
within  reasonable  distance.  When  detailed  for  duty  they 
would  invariably  growl  and  find  fault.  Their  dudish  ap 
pearance  and  conduct  made  them  the  laughing  stock  of  the 
old  veterans,  and  all  sorts  of  jokes  were  played  upon  this 
class  of  recruits. 

The  third  class  of  recruits  may  be  described  as  "bounty 
jumpers."  These  men  did  not  enlist  from  patriotic  motives, 
but  for  the  money  they  could  make  out  of  it.  They  accept 
ed  the  high  bounties  that  were  offered  by  cities,  towns  and 
townships  to  make  their  quotas.  After  they  had  received 
their  bounties  they  would  desert  the  first  opportunity  they 
had,  and  enlist  again,  in  some  other  locality,  under  an  as 
sumed  name.  Many  of  them  were  old  offenders  against  the 
law — criminals,  scoundrels  and  cowards ;  they  were  always 
present  in  camp  when  rations  were  issued,  but  seldom  on 
hand  when  ammunition  was  issued.  During  engagements, 
if  at  all  possible,  they  would  sneak  away  from  their  com 
panies;  and,  if  compelled  to  go  into  battle,  they  had  to  be 
watched  all  the  time.  As  no  man  can  fight  when  surround 
ed  by  cowards,  so  these  cowards,  instead  of  strengthening, 
weakened  every  line  of  battle  they  were  forced  into.  No 
matter  how  brave  a  soldier  may  be,  he  relies  on  the  man 
with  whom  he  touches  elbows  and  depends  on  him  to  stand 
by  him — he  wants  to  hear  the  shout  of  his  comrade  in  the 
charge — he  wants  to  be  sure  that  the  man  by  his  side  is  true. 
An  old  veteran,  speaking  of  these  "bounty  jumpers,"  said: 
"I  was  always  afraid  to  fight  with  any  one  of  these  bounty 
jumpers  by  my  side.  I  knew  a  man  who  had  been  paid  one 
thousand  dollars  for  enlisting.  His  place  in  line  was  next 
to  me.  It  kept  me  busy  to  keep  him  from  running  to  the 
rear  whenever  we  were  under  fire."  During  the  winter  of 
1864  the  regiment  was  credited  with  having  received  629 
new  recruits,  54  of  whom  never  reported  for  duty. 


288 


GF.OROF.  T.  Si-F/n  IC.IT.. 
Sergeant,  Company  AI,  Oil  City,  Pa. 


TWO  PERSONAL  RECOLLECTIONS. 

BY   SERGEANT  G.   T.   SPETTIQUE  OF   COMPANY   M,   OIL   CITY,   PA. 

THE  DEATH  OF  CAPTAIN  JAMES  HAM. 

Reviewing  my  army  experiences,  I  recall  a  few  incidents 
which  made  an  impression  upon  my  mind  which  I  shall 
never  forget.  One  is  the  death  of  Captain  James  Ham. 
Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Theodore  W.  Bean's  "Roll  of 
Honor  of  The  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volun 
teer  Cavalry"  reports  Captain  Ham  as  having  been  killed 
at  the  battle  of  Five  Forks,  Va.  This  is  not  correct.  He 
was,  however,  mortally  wounded  in  that  engagement,  but 
did  not  die  until  twelve  o'clock  the  following  night.  I  was 
by  his  side  when  he  was  wounded.  It  occurred  almost  im 
mediately  after  we  had  leaped  over  the  breastworks  of  the 
enemy,  about  ten  o'clock  a.  m.,  April  i,  1865.  Lieutenant 
John  Anglun  of  my  company  also  received  a  slight  wound 
in  one  of  his  legs.  Captain  Ham  received  a  gunshot  wound 
through  the  bowels.  Being  right  by  his  side  when  he  was 
wounded,  I  assisted  in  carrying  him  from  the  battlefield  to 
the  Dinwiddie  Court  House  Hospital,  where  his  wound  was 
carefully  examined. 

His  condition  being  regarded  as  critical,  the  surgeon 
who  made  the  examination  at  once  ordered  him  sent  to  the 
General  Hospital  at  City  Point.  During  all  this  time  v  the 
captain  suffered  intense  pain,  and  his  appeals  for  help  were 
most  distressing.  He  knew  he  would  die  from  his  wound,  but 
he  did  not  expect  to  die  so  soon.  He  would  frequently  say, 
"O,  my  poor  wife,  my  poor  wife!  What  will  she  do?  This 
shock  will  kill  her."  Then  he'  would  appeal  to  God  to  pro 
tect  his  poor  wife  and  child.  While  thus  waiting  at  the 
station  for  transportation  we  were  joined  by  Lieutenant 
James  Anglun,  and  the  captain  requested  him  to  write  to 
Daniel  Roberts  of  Scranton,  Pa.,  giving  him  full  particulars 

289 


TWO  PERSONAL  RECOLLECTIONS 

how  Mr.  Roberts  should  break  the  news  to  his  dear  wife; 
also  to  give  her  complete  details  of  his  wound.  After  he 
was  placed  in  the  car  and  made  as  comfortable  as  possible, 
he  commenced  to  sink  rapidly.  He  placed  his  right  hand  on 
his  breast  where  he  seemed  to  have  had  the  most  pain,  and 
his  last  words  I  could  hear  him  utter  were,  "O,  my  God,  be 
merciful  to  my  wife  and  dear  child."  He  died  as  if  falling 
asleep.  His  body  was  embalmed  and  expressed  to  his 
friends  at  Honesdale,  Pa.  Captain  Ham  was  a  brave  soldier, 
a  good  horseman,  and  was  popular  in  his  regiment.  The  men 
of  his  company  (M,)  were  proud  of  him,  and  he  enjoyed 
their  confidence.  It  was  most  distressing  that  such  a  brave 
man,  just  in  the  prime  of  life,  who  had  faced  the  enemy's 
bullets  on  so  many  a  hard-fought  battlefield,  should  be  so 
ruthlessly  stricken  down  just  a  few  days  before  the  close  of 
the  war. 

STORY  OF  THE  YOUNG  OFFICER  FROM  THE  WAR 
DEPARTMENT. 

Another  incident  I  recall  that  I  shall  never  forget  was  this : 
Immediately  after  the  battle  of  Winchester,  September  19, 
1864,  our  regiment  was  detailed  for  provost  duty,  with  head 
quarters  at  Winchester.  The  chief  duties  of  the  regiment 
were  to  carry  dispatches  and  do  patrol  and  provost  duty  be 
tween  Martinsburg,  Harper's  Ferry  and  General  P.  H.  Sheri 
dan's  headquarters.  I  was  in  charge  of  the  detail  to  carry  the 
first  message  from  Winchester  to  Woodstock,  where  General 
Sheridan  then  had  his  headquarters.  I  remained  with  my  de 
tail  at  headquarters  until  the  following  day,  when  I  returned 
to  Winchester  with  dispatches  for  Colonel  E.  O.  Edwards, 
the  provost  marshal.  Some  time  later,  with  sixteen  men,  I 
was  detailed  to  escort  an  officer  of  the  War  Department  at 
Washington,  D.  C.,  from  Winchester  to  General  Sheridan's 
headquarters.  The  detail  was  in  charge  of  the  orderly  ser 
geant  of  Company  I. 

This  young  officer  wore  a  brand-new  regulation  uniform, 
was  well  mounted,  and,  seemingly  took  special  pains  to  make 
everybody  feel  uncomfortable  in  his  presence.  He  was  rest- 

290 


TWO  PERSONAL  RECOLLECTIONS 

less  and  impulsive,  and  the  ordinary  gait  we  were  going  was 
too  slow  for  him.  He,  being  the  superior  officer  in  the  es 
cort,  undertook  to  issue  orders  to  the  orderly  sergeant.  He 
would  ride  in  advance  of  the  escort  and  then  call  back  to 
the  sergeant  to  hurry  up. 

The  trip  was  made  during  the  night,  and  I  spoke  to  the 
orderly  sergeant  and  said  that  the  young  officer  of  the  War 
Department  might  get  into  trouble;  that  we  might  run  into 
guerrillas.  The  sergeant  told  him  of  the  danger,  when  he 
slackened  his  pace  some,  but  he  would  still  insist  on  riding 
in  advance  of  the  escort.  As  we  approached  the  narrow 
portion  of  the  road  near  Fisher's  Hill,  with  which  I  was 
perfectly  familiar,  and  which  was  always  considered  a  most 
dangerous  point  for  guerrilla  attacks,  all  of  a  sudden  there 
rang  out  a  command,  "Halt!  Who  goes  there?"  Before 
any  one  could  answer,  this  young  officer  from  the  War  De 
partment  spoke  up  and  said :  "I  am  an  officer  from  the  War 
Department  at  Washington  with  important  dispatches  for 
General  Sheridan." 

Immediately  the  escort  was  halted,  whilst  the  orderly  ser 
geant  and  myself  hurried  forward.  The  sergeant  said  to 
this  young  officer,  "You  stop  right  here.  If  there  are  any 
questions  to  be  answered,  we  will  answer  them  ourselves. 
You  do  not  know  what  you  are  up  against.  If  the  men  who 
halted  you  are  guerrillas,  you  and  your  dispatches  from  the 
War  Department  will  never  reach  General  Sheridan." 

Then  the  challenge  came:  "Dismount  one,  advance  and 
give  the  countersign."  It  fell  to  my  lot  to  dismount  and  ad 
vance  with  the  countersign.  I  was  very  glad  indeed  when  I 
learned  that  the  party  who  had  halted  us  were  our  own  men, 
and  that  they  were  simply  out  on  a  scouting  expedition.  We 
had  no  more  trouble  with  our  young  officer.  He  seemed 
now  to  understand  conditions  in  an  enemy's  country  which 
he  had  never  realized  before.  Some  time  after  midnight  we 
reached  General  Sheridan's  headquarters,  and  I  never  saw 
our  young  officer  again. 


291 


EXPERIENCE  OF  G.  FRANK  LIDY. 

PRIVATE  COMPANY  G,  WAYNESBORO,  PA. 

My  first  experience  in  the  Civil  War  was  at  the  battle  of 
Antietam,  Maryland,  September  17,  1862.  I  accidentally  got 
between  the  Union  and  Confederate  lines  close  to  the  Burn- 
side  Bridge.  I  was  placed  in  a  very  uncomfortable  posi 
tion.  Being  a  citizen  I  had  nothing  to  defend  myself  with. 
I  embraced  the  first  opportunity  to  get  to  a  place  of  safety. 

My  next  experience  was  just  before  the  battle  of  Gettys 
burg,  while  I  was  on  my  way  to  Harrisburg,  with  a  dozen 
or  more  citizens,  to  enlist.  We  were  captured  by  the  Con 
federate  forces  under  command  of  General  Early,  near 
Caledonia  Furnace,  but,  through  the  personal  influence  of 
General  J.  B.  Gordon,  we  were  paroled,  not  to  take  up  arms 
as  long  as  they  remained  in  Pennsylvania. 

My  first  enlistment  was  in  Company  M  of  the  Twenty-first 
Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  in  which  regiment  I  served 
for  seven  months. 

My  second  enlistment  was  in  August,  1864,  when  I  be 
came  a  member  of  Company  G,  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Penn 
sylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  from  which  I  was  discharged, 
with  the  regiment  at  Clouds  Mills,  Va.,  June  16,  1865.  I  par 
ticipated  in  the  battle  of  Winchester,  W.  Va.,  and  was  one  of 
the  detail  that  accompanied  General  Sheridan  from  Winches 
ter  to  the  front,  October  19,  1864,  being  one  of  the  fourteen 
men  that  kept  up  with  General  Sheridan's  famous  black 
horse,  Rienzi.  I  followed  the  general  all  day  and  thus  had 
a  good  opportunity  to  observe  the  wonderful  change  among 
the  troops  as  General  Sheridan  rode  along  the  lines. 

I  also  accompanied  the  regiment  on  the  Gordonsville  Raid 
in  December,  1864,  and  was  with  the  company  on  the  morn 
ing  of  December  23d,  when  we  charged  the  enemy  mounted, 
and  were  repulsed.  My  horse  was  shot  from  under  me,  and 
J  made  a  very  narrow  escape,  from  being  captured.  Being 
without  a  horse,  I  was  compelled  to  keep  up  with  the  column 
on  foot  all  the  way  back  to  Winchester.  Failing  to  keep 
up  with  the  column,  meant  to  be  captured  by  the  guerrillas. 

292 


G.  FRANK  LIIJY. 
Private,  Company  (i,  VVaynesboro,  Pa, 


EXPERIENCE  OF  G.  FRANK  LIDY 

While  the  regiment  was  in  camp  in  the  Loudon  Valley, 
near  Lovettsville,  on  January  12,  1865  I  was  severely  injured 
and  taken  to  the  hospital  where  I  was  unconscious  for  fifty 
hours.  When  I  had  sufficiently  recovered,  I  was  permitted 
to  return  to  camp  where  I  was  carefully  nursed.  Being 
refused  a  furlough  to  go  home,  I  took  a  " French  furlough" 
and  went  to  my  home  at  Waynesboro,  Pa.  As  soon  as  my 
wound  permitted,  I  returned  to  my  company,  arriving  just 
the  day  before  the  regiment  started  on  what  proved  to  be  the 
last  campaign  of  the  war.  Being  without  a  horse  I  was  sent 
with  the  dismounted  men  to  Pleasant  Valley,  Maryland- 

The  day  after  President  Lincoln's  assassination,  we  were 
hurried  to  Port  Tobacco,  Maryland,  to  intercept  the  assassin, 
who  it  was  reported,  was  expected  to  cross  the  Potomac 
River  somewhere  in  that  vicinity. 

We  returned  to  the  dismounted  camp  at  Pleasant  Valley, 
and  remained  there  until  after  the  regiment  had  returned 
to  Washington,  when  I  again  joined  the  regiment  and  was 
regularly  mustered  out  with  the  company. 


293 


SHERIDAN'S    JAMES    RIVER    RAID. 

The  curtain  now  rose  for  the  last  act  in  the  great  drama 
of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  and,  until  it  finally  dropped 
at  Appomattox,  the  men  of  the  regiment  were  almost  con 
tinuously  in  the  saddle.  February  24,  1865,  we  left  our 
comfortable  winter  quarters  at  Lovettsville  and  marched  to 
Harper's  Ferry  where  we  bivouacked  for  the  night.  The 
following  day  we  marched  to  Winchester  where  we  joined 
the  rest  of  the  cavalry  forces  in  the  Shenandoah  Valley,  and 
camped  at  Camp  Russell.  Here  five  days'  rations,  thirty 
pounds  of  forage,  and  seventy-five  rounds  of  ammunition 
were  issued  to  us.  All  the  dismounted,  sick,  and  surplus 
camp  equipage  were  sent  to  the  rear.  Reading  between  the 
lines,  this  had  a  raidish  appearance,  and  many  different 
opinions  were  expressed  as  to  our  destination. 

February  27th,  with  General  Philip  H.  Sheridan  at  the 
head  of  the  column,  the  entire  cavalry  force  of  the  Shenan 
doah  Valley,  started  on  a  raid  up  that  valley  passing 
through  Newtown,  Middletown,  and  Strasburg,  and  encamp 
ing  for  the  night,  near  Woodstock.  The  Sixth  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry  was  ordered  to  push  forward,  take  possession  of, 
and  prevent  the  destruction  of  the  bridge  across  Stony  Creek 
at  Edenburg.  Early  the  following  morning,  February  28th, 
the  same  regiment  was  hurried  forward  to  Mt.  Jackson  to 
seize  and  hold  the  bridge  across  the  North  Fork  of  the 
Shenandoah  River;  but,  before  it  arrived,  the  bridge  had 
been  destroyed,  and  it  became  necessary  to  bring  forward 
the  pontoons  accompanying  the  expedition.  As  the  stream 
could  not  be  forded  at  this  place,  the  citizens,  (who  were 
supposed  to  have  destroyed  the  bridge  during  the  night) 
were  quite  hilarious  in  having,  as  they  supposed,  obstructed 
our  further  advances.  But  when  they  saw  how  quickly  the 
pontoon  bridge  was  constructed  and  how  successfully  the 
entire  command  passed  over  the  river,  the  people  who  wit 
nessed  it  were  amazed  by  the  genius,  and  skill  of  the  Yan 
kees.  During  the  construction  of  the  bridge  the  column  had 

294 


SHERIDAN'S  JAMES  RIVER  RAID 

halted  just  about  long  enough  for  the  men  to  take  a  short 
rest,  cook  their  coffee,  and  eat  a  light  luncheon. 

We  were  now  well  advanced  in  the  enemy's  country,  and 
the  Rebel  cavalry  frequently  appeared  in  our  front,  rear 
and  flanks,  but  were  usually  driven  off  without  much  inter 
ruption  or  serious  loss.  Our  next  camp  was  Lacey's  Spring. 
The  following  day  we  moved  to  Harrisonburg,  where  the 
work  of  destruction  of  Confederate  stores,  etc.,  really  com 
menced.  Commands  were  sent  out  in  different  directions 
where  Confederate  government  property  was  reported,  to 
destroy  it.  The  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  with  the 
rest  of  the  brigade,  was  sent  to  Swope's  Station,  and  were 
successful  in  destroying  large  quantities  of  quartermaster 
and  commissary  supplies  that  were  stored  in  barns,  ware 
houses,  and  in  the  railroad  depot.  These  consisted  princi 
pally  of  boots,  shoes,  ham  and  bacon.  The  men  usually 
would  appropriate  anything  they  could  use  to  advantage  for 
themselves,  and  then  apply  the  match  to  everything  else 
which  could  help  the  Confederate  cause. 

March  3d,  the  command  was  again  concentrated  at 
Waynesborough,  where  the  railroad  bridge  and  large  quanti 
ties  of  quartermaster  stores  were  destroyed.  We  now  cross 
ed  the  Blue  Ridge  and  encamped  in  the  vicinity  of  Ivy  Sta 
tion,  on  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad.  The  following  day 
the  march  was  continued  to  Charlottesville,  bridges,  depots, 
and  Confederate  stores  wherever  found  being  destroyed. 
On  this  day  our  brigade  brought  up  the  rear  and  had  charge 
of  the  wagon  train,  and  on  account  of  the  muddy  roads  and 
the  fatigued  condition  of  many  of  the  men  and  horses,  we 
experienced  considerable  difficulty  in  keeping  up  with  the 
column.  Several  teams  had  to  be  abandoned.  It  was  quite 
late  in  the  night  when  the  last  team  was  corralled  that  day. 
Because  of  the  continued  rains  the  roads  over  which  we 
passed  became  very  soft  and  muddy,  making  it  most  dis 
tressing  for  both  the  cavalry  and  heavy  wagons  to  get 
through ;  and  as  the  men  were  in  the  saddle  almost  day  and 
night  for  five  or  six  days,  General  Sheridan  deemed  it  ad 
visable  to  take  a  few  days'  rest  and  allow  the  men  and 
horses  to  recuperate. 

295 


SHERIDAN'S  JAMES  RIVER  RAID 

We  were  told,  that,  when  General  George  A.  Custer 
reached  Charlottesville,  on  the  afternoon  of  March  3d,  he 
was  met  by  a  deputation  of  the  citizens  of  the  town,  head 
ed  by  the  mayor,  who  surrendered  the  town,  formally  hand 
ing  over  the  keys  of  the  public  buildings  and  of  the  Univer 
sity  of  Virginia.  I  never  heard  the  reason  given  for  this 
generous  act.  It  was  no  doubt  an  indirect  appeal  for  the 
protection  of  their  public  property.  Arriving  at  Charlottes 
ville,  our  brigade,  consisting  of  the  Sixth,  Ninth,  and  Fourth 
New  York,  and  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania,  was  sent 
a  short  distance  south  of  the  town  for  the  purpose  of  des 
troying  the  Orange  and  Alexandria  Railroad.  This  we  did 
most  effectually.  We  demolished  the  road  for  a  distance 
of  several  miles,  burning  the  ties  and  heating  and  bending 
the  rails;  we  also  burned  two  large  bridges.  This  work 
was  done  by  the  men  dismounted  while  the  horses  were 
resting  in  camp. 

Here,  too,  we  gathered  more  supplies  than  we  could  use, 
so  the  surplus  was  turned  over  to  the  colored  people  who  fol 
lowed  the  column,  variously  estimated  at  from  fifteen  hun 
dred  to  two  thousand  in  number.  They  seemed  astonished 
at  the  liberality  of  the  Lincoln  soldiers,  and  were  profuse  in 
expressions  of  gratitude,  such  as  "The  good  Lord  bless  you, 
massa;  we  didn't  have  ham  before  since  the  war  begun." 
In  return  for  these  donations,  these  colored  people  render 
ed  valuable  services  in  lifting  wagons  out  of  the  mud  and 
pushing  them  along  when  all  other  means  failed.  Without 
their  assistance  these  teams  never  would  have  kept  up  with 
the  column.  Here,  too,  the  command  was  supplied  with 
seven  days'  rations  of  coffee,  sugar  and  salt. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  March  6th,  the  entire  command 
left  Charlottesville,  moving  in  two  columns  in  different  direc 
tions  :  the  First  Division  to  Scottsville,  the  Second  Division 
along  the  Lynchburg  Railroad.  The  Seventeenth  Pennsyl 
vania,  as  a  part  of  the  First  Division  and  Second  Brigade, 
participated  in  and  did  its  share  of  the  work  of  destroying 
mills,  factories,  forges  and  Confederate  stores  of  various 
kinds,  and  also  in  destroying  locks,  aqueducts,  culverts, 
boats  and  other  property  of  the  James  River  Canal.  The 

296 


SHERIDAN'S  JAMES  RIVER  RAID 

work  of  destruction  was  prosecuted  with  great  vigor,  both 
officers  and  men  working  with  great  energy,  marching  over 
the  worst  possible  roads  and  toiling  early  and  late,  under 
many  disadvantages,  so  as  to  do  the  greatest  amount  of 
damage  in  the  shortest  possible  time.  It  was  not  until  10 
p.  m.  that  night  that  the  regiment  went  into  camp  at  Scotts- 
ville.  General  Wesley  Merritt,  the  corps  commander,  in 
referring  to  the  operations  of  this  campaign,  says :  "Great 
credit  is  due  General  Thomas  C.  Devin  and  his  brigade 
commanders  for  their  untiring  zeal  in  carrying  out  the  or 
ders  given  them  at  this  time." 

March  7th,  we  crossed  the  James  River  Canal  and,  strik 
ing  off  to  the  right,  marched  to  New  Market,  following  the 
river  road.  Near  Warminster  we  destroyed  the  lock  at 
that  point.  During  the  night  the  Sixth  and  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  were  ordered  to  proceed,  at  a  rapid  gait,  to 
take  possession  of  the  bridge  across  the  James  River  at 
Duiguidsville  and  endeavor  to  hold  that  approach  to  the 
south  bank  of  the  river.  Every  exertion  was  made  to  ac 
complish  the  end  desired ;  but,  before  we  arrived,  the  bridge 
was  fired  to  prevent  our  crossing  at  that  point. 

March  8th,  the  Second  Brigade  of  the  First  Division  was 
ordered  to  proceed  without  delay  to  Columbia,  if  possible 
to  reach  that  place  by  daylight  the  next  morning,  and  to  re 
main  there  until  further  orders,  holding  the  place  and  send 
ing  back  all  the  information  possible  regarding  the  move 
ments  of  the  enemy  in  that  section.  We  started  at  twelve 
O'clock,  noon,  and  reached  Scottsville  just  about  seven 
o'clock,  halted  one  hour  to  rest,  cook  coffee  and  feed;  and 
then,  in  a  heavy  rain  storm  and  through  heavy,  muddy 
roads,  we  pushed  on,  at  the  greatest  possible  speed,  reach 
ing  Columbia,  a  distance  of  fifty-six  miles,  which  was  made 
in  seventeen  hours.  This  was  a  most  severe  march,  owing 
to  the  rain  and  muddy  roads.  Arriving  at  Columbia,  sev 
eral  strong  scouting  parties  were  at  once  sent  out  in  differ 
ent  directions  to  reconnoiter.  These  returned,  in  the  even 
ing,  without  having  met  any  Confederate  troops.  If  my 
memory  serve  me  correctly,  a  company  of  either  the  Sixth 
or  Ninth  New  York  was  also  sent  back  over  the  route  by 

297 


SHERIDAN'S  JAMES  RIVER  RAID 

which  we  came,  with  despatches  to  General  Merritt  inform 
ing  him  of  our  operations.  Colonel  Charles  S.  Fitzhugh, 
commanding  the  brigade,  in  his  official  report,  says : 

"Arriving  at  Columbia,  strong  scouting  parties  were  at 
once  sent  out  on  the  Richmond  and  Palmyra  roads,  and  a 
party  sent  back  to  acquaint  General  Merritt  with  the  pro 
gress  of  the  brigade.  This  party  captured  two  Rebels,  with 
horses,  arms  and  equipments,  near  Scottsville.  The  detach 
ment  on  the  Richmond  Road,  fifteen  men  and  one  officer, 
proceeded  to  Cartersville,  eleven  miles  down  the  river,  to 
the  site  of  the  old  bridge,  and  returned  at  night  without 
seeing  the  enemy.  The  information  obtained  by  this  de 
tachment,  as  well  as  that  sent  to  Palmyra,  was  all  to  the 
effect  that  Fitzhugh  Lee's  division  of  cavalry  was  south  of 
the  James  River,  marching  toward  Columbia  in  anticipation 
of  our  crossing  there.  According  to  orders  received  from 
General  Merritt,  there  was  no  destruction  of  property  at 
Columbia,  with  the  exception  of  breaching  the  canal.  The 
brigade  remained  at  Columbia  until  the  arrival  of  the  rest 
of  the  cavalry  on  the  loth  of  March,  and  then  destroyed 
two  naval  camps  in  the  vicinity,  containing  the  following 
property :  One  valuable  steam  engine,  a  great  number  of 
workmen's  tools  and  a  large  amount  of  dressed  timber." 

General  Sheridan's  plan  evidently  was  to  cross  the  James 
River  somewhere  between  Duiguidsville  and  Goochland,  but 
the  continued  heavy  rains  and  spring  freshets  made  the 
river  too  high  to  be  forded,  while  he  did  not  have  sufficient 
pontoons  to  span  it.  All  the  bridges  in  that  section  of  the 
country  had  been  destroyed  by  the  enemy,  and  so  the  gen 
eral's  original  plan  was  frustrated.  General  Sheridan  now 
changed  his  plans,  and,  on  the  I2th  of  March,  the  entire 
command  left  the  James  River,  moving  in  an  easterly  direc 
tion,  and  struck  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad  in  the  vicin 
ity  of  Tollersville,  where  we  bivouacked  for  the  night.  The 
following  day,  almost  the  entire  force  was  at  once  set  to 
work  destroying  the  railroad,  tearing  up  the  ties,  putting 
them  on  piles,  placing  the  iron  rails  on  top,  and  then  firing 
the  pile.  By  this  process,  the  rails,  becoming  heated,  would 
bend  and  were  rendered  useless.  On  the  I3th,  we  marched 

298 


SHERIDAN'S  JAMES  RIVER  RAID 

to  Beaver  Dam  Station;  on  the  I4th,  to  Taylorsville ;  I5th, 
to  Mount  Carmel  Church;  i6th,  to  Mangohick  Church; 
1 7th,  to  King  William  Court  House;  and  on  the  i8th,  cross 
ed  the  Pamunkey  River  and  went  into  camp  near  the  White 
House,  where  we  found  an  abundance  of  rations  for  the 
men  and  forage  for  the  horses. 

This  campaign  was  by  far  the  hardest  and  most  arduous 
the  regiment  had  yet  experienced.  The  almost  ceaseless 
rains  for  twenty  days  and  nights,  the  swollen  streams  and 
well-nigh  bottomless  roads,  presented  difficulties  almost  in 
surmountable.  But  Sheridan  and  his  brave  men  were  equal 
to  every  emergency.  Large  quantities  of  the  enemy's  sub 
sistence  were  destroyed  and  the  Virginia  Central  Railroad 
and  the  James  River  Canal,  two  of  the  enemy's  chief  lines 
of  transportation,  were  greatly  disabled. 

Sheridan's  command  now  remained  in  camp  for  seven 
days,  receiving  a  much  needed  rest.  During  this  time  there 
was  a  general  inspection  of  both  men  and  horses.  The  en 
feebled  men  were  sent  to  hospitals  for  treatment,  many 
horses  were  condemned,  all  the  dismounted  men  were  sent 
to  City  Point  to  be  'remounted,  and  other  necessary  changes 
were  made  preparatory  to  a  continued  active  campaign. 
Here,  too,  the  Second  Division  of  the  Cavalry  Corps,  now 
commanded  by  General  George  Crook,  was  reunited  with 
the  corps  and  placed  under  the  command  of  General  Sheri 
dan. 

March  25th,  the  entire  Cavalry  Corps  marched  to  Harri 
son's  Landing  on  the  James  River.  The  following  day, 
March  26th,  we  crossed  the  river  at  Deep  Bottom  and  con 
tinued  the  march  to  Hancock  Station.  While  we  were 
crossing  the  river  on  a  pontoon  bridge,  President  Lincoln 
and  General  Grant  had  taken  a  steamer,  moved  up  the  river 
and  witnessed  our  crossing. 

March  28th,  we  drew  a  full  supply  of  rations,  forage  and 
ammunition.  This  invariably  indicated  an  important  move 
ment. 


299 


EXPERIENCE  OF  PRIVATE  A.  SHOCKEY, 

Of  Company  G,  at  the  Battle  of  Gordonsville,  Va., 
December  23,  1864. 

Lieutenant  H.  C.  Bonebrake, 

My  dear  Comrade :  It  is  with  some  reluctance  that  I  re 
spond  to  your  request  for  my  experience  at  the  Battle  of 
Gordonsville,  Va.,  December  23,  1864.  I  really  dislike  to 
say  anything  about  my  military  record.  The  diary  which 
I  kept  is  written  in  lead  pencil.  I  find  much  of  it  faded  or 
rubbed  out.  Although  the  battle  of  Gordonsville  was  fought 
forty-four  years  ago,  I  have  a  very  distinct  recollection  of 
some  things  that  occurred  at  the  time ;  and  not  only  of  that 
particular  battle,  but  of  other  incidents  on  the  Gordonsville 
expedition. 

We  left  camp  near  Winchester  and  moved  direct  to  Stras- 
burg,  W.  Va.,  across  the  mountain  into  eastern  Virginia, 
arriving  at  Madison  Court  House  on  December  21,  1864, 
and  crossing  the  Rapidan  River  early  in  the  evening.  We 
bivouacked  for  the  night  about  nine  miles  from  Madison 
Court  House.  The  weather  was  very  inclement.  There  was 
a  heavy  snow  blizzard  and  it  was  very  cold.  We  passed  a 
cheerless  night  near  the  Rapidan  River.  The  following 
morning,  December  23d,  dawned  clear,  but  intensely  cold, 
with  high  winds.  The  command  moved  early  in  the  morn 
ing  in  the  direction  of  Gordonsville.  When  we  approached 
the  Southwest  Mountains  we  saw  the  smoke  of  the  enemy's 
camp  fires  above  the  tree  tops.  A  short  time  after  we  heard 
skirmishing  and  we  were  hurried  to  the  front.  We  discover 
ed  the  enemy  near  the  edge  of  a  heavy  timbered  woods.  It 
was  evident  that  we  were  to  assault  them  in  a  notch  of  the 
mountain  on  the  left  of  the  public  road.  After  we  had 
formed  in  line  of  battle  and  had  advanced  a  short  distance, 
we  were  confronted  by  a  rail  fence  and  were  halted  a  short 
time  to  get  down  at  least  portions  of  it  so  we  could  get  across. 
We  again  advanced,  and,  when  we  had  reached  on  open 
field,  we  made  a  headlong  dash  in  an  attempt  to  dislodge 

300 


EXPERIENCE  OF  PRIVATE  SHOCKEY 

the  enemy.  They  evidently  expected  us  and  were  prepared, 
for  they  opened  on  us  with  a  rattling  fire  of  musketry. 
Fourteen  horses  went  down  in  the  charge  in  our  company 
alone,  and  a  number  of  men  were  wounded  and  missing. 

We  could  go  no  further ;  there  was  no  hope  of  success  as 
the  repulse  was  complete.  My  horse  was  one  of  those  that 
went  down,  and,  as  he  fell  on  his  side,  he  gave  me  a  hard 
fall  on  the  frozen  ground.  He  regained  his  feet,  whilst  I 
held  on  to  the  rein  and  my  carbine.  But  an  attempt  to  re 
mount  there  and  then,  meant  to  be  shot  down  instantly.  My 
horse,  too,  became  unmanageable,  and  I  had  to  let  go  the 
bridle  rein ;  so  he  scampered  off  and  I  never  saw  him  again. 
The  only  thing  I  could  do  to  avoid  the  shot  of  the  Rebels 
was  to  lie  flat  on  the  ground  and  crawl  to  a  depression  a 
short  distance  away.  In  this  place  I  was  joined  by  William 
Cooper  and  Sergeant  David  Royer  of  my  company,  the 
latter  badly  wounded.  Conditions  were  such  that  I  could 
not  examine  his  wounds  carefully.  I  could  not  tell  where 
the  ball  struck  him,  but  he  was  bleeding  freely,  his  clothing 
being  saturated  with  blood ;  and  he  soon  became  very  weak. 
We  were  in  short  range  of  the  enemy,  who  were  hidden  by 
a  barricade.  We  could  hear  their  voices  in  ordinary  conver 
sation,  and  the  report  of  a  rifle  and  the  whiz  of  the  bullets 
were  simultaneous. 

I  expressed  a  determination  to  take  the  risk  of  exposure 
and  run  to  the  rear  in  hopes  of  reaching  our  line.  The  dying 
man  by  my  side  pleaded  earnestly  for  me  not  to  desert  him 
in  his  distress.  I  explained  to  him  that  in  any  event  we  would 
be  separated.  About  this  time  our  line  had  reformed  and 
was  again  advancing  dismounted.  We  were  now  between 
the  two  fires  which  were  extremely  hot,  making  the  risk  too 
great  to  come  out  of  our  depression  and  join  our  forces  at 
that  time.  Our  line  was  again  repulsed  and  fell  back.  The 
firing  now  weakened  on  both  sides.  This  I  regarded  as  my 
last  opportunity  to  regain  our  lines.  I  took  Comrade  Royer 
by  the  hand  and  bade  him  good-by  forever,  sprang  to  my  feet 
and  ran  with  all  my  might,  for  my  life.  A  volley  was  fired 
after  me  as  I  made  my  way  over  the  hill.  I  had  to  cross  a 
brook  partly  covered  with  ice.  I  then  had  to  crawl  again  on 

301 

20— 17th  R. 


EXPERIENCE  OF   PRIVATE   SHOCKEY 

the  ground,  and  in  climbing  over  a  fence,  was  again  exposed 
to  the  fire  of  the  enemy.  I  continued  to  hug  the  ground  un 
til  I  was  out  of  range,  and  soon  again  mingled  with  the 
boys  who  rejoiced  on  account  of  my  miraculous  escape  and 
safe  return. 

Soon  after  my  return  another  man  was  seen  running 
toward  our  line  and  making  excellent  time.  It  proved  to  be 
William  Cooper  who  had  watched  me  and  concluded  to  try 
the  same  trick ;  and  he,  too,  succeeded.  That  we  both  reach 
ed  our  lines  in  safety  has  always  been  regarded  by  us  as 
providential.  Almost  immediately  after  our  escape,  the 
Confederate  line  advanced.  Our  regiment  was  driven  back, 
and  all  the  men  who  had  remained  on  the  hillside  were  taken 
prisoners.  It  was  later  discovered  that  Sergeant  David 
Royer  was  shot  in  the  groin,  and  taken  to  a  Confederate 
hospital  near  Gordonsville  where  he  died  the  following  day. 
After  the  war  his  remains  were  brought  home  and  buried 
near  Waynesboro,  Pa. 


302 


REGIMENTAL  BAND. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  war  almost  every  regiment  that 
reported  for  service  was  accompanied  by  a  brass  band.  While 
brass  bands  were  considered  essential  for  dress  parade, 
guard  mount,  reviews  and  other  special  occasions,  they 
were  generally  regarded  at  army  headquarters  as  an  ex 
pensive  luxury.  And  so,  when  application  was  made  for  a 
regimental  band  for  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsyl 
vania  Cavalry,  the  idea  was  not  favorably  received.  Con 
tinued  requests,  however,  finally  resulted  in  a  compromise 
that,  if  the  musicians  were  selected  from  the  enlisted  men 
of  the  regiment,  without  expense  to  the  government,  the 
application  would  be  approved,  which  was  done.  The  officers 
of  the  regiment  at  once  made  sufficient  contributions  to  pur 
chase  the  necessary  instruments,  and  a  permanent  detail 
of  fifteen  men  was  made  who  composed  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry  Band.  Professor 
J.  F.  Whittington,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  an  accomplished 
musician,  was  appointed  leader  and  instructor,  and  soon  the 
regiment  had  the  proud  satisfaction  of  having  one  of  the 
best  bands  in  the  Cavalry  Corps,  its  services  being  much 
in  demand. 

The  band  was  a  valuable  adjunct  to  the  regiment,  es 
pecially  for  dressparade,  guardmount,  and  reviews,  and 
accomplished  much  in  relieving  the  monotony  of  camp  life. 
When  we  take  into  consideration  how  much  money  is  spent 
in  our  large  cities  and  towns  for  concerts,  balls,  parades  and 
entertainments  of  various  kinds,  I  venture  the  opinion  that 
the  men  who  exchanged  all  home  comforts  and  social  amuse 
ments  for  the  hardships  of  a  soldier's  life,  were  justly  en 
titled  to  be  furnished  with  a  reasonable  amount  of  patriotic 
music  to  inspire  their  patriotism  and  nerve  them  for  the 
sterner  music  of  cannon,  musketry,  minnie  balls  and  the 
bursting  shells.  The  inspiring  music  of  "Yankee  Doodle," 
"Hail  Columbia,"  "Marching  Through  Georgia,"  "John 
Brown's  Body,"  "All  Quiet  along  the  Potomac,"  "Tenting 

303 


REGIMENTAL  BAND 

on  the  Old  Camp  Ground,"  and  songs  of  that  kind,  put  the 
fighting  spirit  into  the  boys  in  blue,  just  the  same  as  "Dixie," 
and  "My  Maryland,"  inspirited  the  boys  who  wore  the  gray. 

True,  the  band  did  not  go  into  battle  and  charge  the 
enemy,  but  their  sweet  and  patriotic  music  in  camp  was  a 
helpful  relief  in  the  frequent  despondency  of  the  men,  and 
in  awakening  tender  memories  of  home  and  friends. 

I  recall  very  distinctly  an  incident  that  occurred  in  the 
cavalry  fight  at  Meadow  Bridge,  in  front  of  Richmond,  Va., 
where  the  playing  of  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  immediately 
in  the  rear  of  the  line  of  battle  evidently  averted  a  great 
disaster.  In  order  that  the  importance  of  this  battle  may  be 
more  fully  understood  the  following  prelude  may  be  of 
interest.  While  General  Grant  was  fighting  General  Lee  in 
the  Wilderness,  General  Sheridan,  with  his  entire  Cavalry 
Corps,  made  a  detour  around  General  Lee's  army,  cut  his 
communication  with  Richmond,  and  made  a  forced  march 
threatening  the  Confederate  capital.  At  Yellow  Tavern, 
about  six  miles  from  Richmond,  Sheridan  met  the  Confeder 
ate  cavalry  in  full  force,  and,  in  an  engagement,  completely 
routed  them,  killing  their  commander,  General  J.  E.  B. 
Stewart.  During  the  following  night  the  march  in  the  di 
rection  of  Richmond  was  continued  with  very  little  opposi 
tion  to  within  about  three  miles  of  the  city.  Its  lights  were 
plainly  visible  to  the  Union  troopers,  the  ringing  of  bells 
could  be  distinctly  heard  whilst  other  evidences  were  seen 
and  heard  that  there  was  intense  excitement  in  the  city. 
About  five  thousand  troops  in  the  vicinity  of  Richmond  had 
been  hurriedly  concentrated  during  the  night  to  resist  this 
sudden  invasion.  These  with  the  Rebel  cavalry,  although 
badly  defeated  the  previous  day,  together  with  the  strong 
fortification,  made  it  impracticable  for  Sheridan  to  enter  the 
city.  Sheridan  now  turned  the  head  of  his  column  in  the 
direction  of  Meadow  Bridge  to  cross  the  Chickahominy 
River.  When  the  bridge  was  reached,  it  had  been  destroy 
ed,  and  the  Rebel  cavalry,  with  temporary  breastworks,  post 
ed  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river.  The  ground  was  too 
marshy  in  the  vicinity  to  effect  a  crossing  except  by  the 
regular  roadbed  leading  over  the  bridge.  General  Merritt 

304 


REGIMENTAL  BAND 

commanding  the  First  Division  was  ordered  to  take  his  en 
tire  division  to  repair  the  bridge  and  effect  a  crossing,  with 
instructions  that  it  must  be  done  at  all  hazard.  While  the 
pioneers  were  repairing  the  bridge  they  were  constantly 
fired  upon  by  the  enemy  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river. 

The  work  was  slow  and  dangerous.  In  the  meantime  all 
the  Confederate  forces  that  could  be  mustered  came  out  of 
the  city  and  were  hurled  against  Sheridan's  rear.  Before 
overwhelming  numbers  our  brave  troops  were  forced  to 
fall  back.  Sheridan's  soldiers  were  thus  placed  in  a  most 
perilous  position.  They  could  not  advance  until  the  bridge 
had  been  built,  whilst  his  rear  was  pressed  so  hard 
that  he  was  likely  to  be  crushed  any  moment.  It  was  un 
der  these  circumstances  that  a  band  was  ordered  to  play 
the  Star  Spangled  Banner.  The  music  was  answered  with 
a  shout  along  the  entire  line.  The  whole  Cavalry  Corps  went 
wild  with  enthusiasm.  The  lines  were  reformed,  and  with 
Generals  Wilson  and  Gregg  at  the  head  of  their  respective 
divisions,  the  troops  swooped  down  upon  the  enemy  like  a 
cyclone,  breaking  their  lines  and  forcing  them  back  into 
their  entrenchments.  Almost  simultaneously  with  this 
movement,  the  work  of  repairing  the  bridge  was  completed 
and  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  with  the  Ninth 
New  York  Cavalry  charged  over  the  temporary  structure, 
dislodged  the  enemy  on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and 
Sheridan  was  master  of  the  situation.  It  was  generally  con 
ceded  that  the  playing  of  the  Star  Spangled  Banner  on  the 
field  of  battle,  at  that  time,  was  the  turning  point  which  re 
sulted  in  that  splendid  victory. 

Numerous  other  instances  might  be  given  where  music 
was  a  prominent  factor  on  the  field  of  battle,  as  well  as  in 
refreshing  the  spirits  of  the  men  in  camp  after  long  and 
weary  marches,  and  in  contributing  in  no  small  degree  to 
wards  maintaining  a  high  standard  of  military  discipline. 
And  now,  after  a  lapse  of  forty-five  years  and  more,  I  fancy 
I  see  the  old  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer 
Cavalry  drawn  up  in  line  of  dressparade,  twelve  hundred 
strong,  with  our  mounted  band  sounding  off,  a  beautiful 
sight  to  see  indeed.  Then  again  I  fancy  I  hear  the  evening 

305 


REGIMENTAL  BAND 

concerts  by  the  band  at  regimental  headquarters,  that  were 
so  much  enjoyed  and  cheered  by  the  men.  Too  much  praise 
cannot  be  given  to  our  band  for  the  very  efficient  manner 
in  which  they  performed  their  duties  frequently  under  ad 
verse  and  trying  circumstances. 


A  FEW  INCIDENTS. 

"  SADDLE  YOUR  HORSES  DOUBLE  QUICK/' 

On  a  certain  occasion,  Company  E  of  the  regiment  was 
detailed  to  report. to  brigade  headquarters  for  special  picket 
duty.  A  staff  officer  accompanied  the  company  to  the  des 
tination.  After  the  picket  line  and  reserve  post  had  been 
established,  the  men  who  were  not  on  duty  were  ordered  to 
go  into  camp,  unsaddle  their  horses  and  cook  supper.  While 
in  the  act  of  feeding  the  horses  and  preparing  supper,  there 
were  three  shots  fired  in  rapid  succession  by  one  of  the  out 
post  pickets.  The  captain  heard  the  shots,  and  thinking  that 
the  picket  had  been  fired  upon  by  the  enemy,  immediately 
gave  the  command,  "Attention,  men,  saddle  your  horses 
double  quick."  This  was  an  unusual  command,  not  quite 
according  to  military  tactics,  but  the  men  understood  it.  The 
bugler  also  sounded  ''Boots  and  Saddles,"  and  for  about  ten 
minutes  there  was  great  excitement  in  the  camp.  The  cap 
tain  at  once  sent  a  messenger  to  the  outpost  where  the  shots 
had  been  fired,  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  firing.  About 
the  time  the  company  was  ready  to  move  to  the  support  of 
the  vedette,  the  messenger  returned  and  reported  that  the 
shooting  was  a  false  alarm.  The  captain,  however,  with  a 
small  escort,  visited  the  outpost  and  learned  that  a  pretty 
good  sized  "razorback"  had  been  the  victim  of  the  shooting. 
Possibly  the  author  ought  to  explain  what  is  meant  by  a 
"razorback."  A  "razorback"  is  a  species  of  southern  hog, 
so  called  because  of  its  sharp  back,  and  shaped  somewhat 
like  a  razor.  Other  characteristics  of  the  species  are  long 
legs,  large  head  and  extra  long  snout.  The  long  snout  seems 
specially  adapted  for  rooting  in  the  ground.  Evidently  from 
this  species  of  hog  originated  the  old  axiom,  "Root  hog  or 
die." 

The  captain  mildly  reprimanded  the  vedette  for  his. reck 
less  shooting,  to  which  he  replied,  "Captain,  I  have  not  tast 
ed  fresh  pork  for  a  long  time,  and  when  the  opportunity 
came  to  get  some,  I  could  not  resist  the  temptation,  and  be 
fore  the  darn  thing  would  get  out  of  carbine  reach  I  fired 
the  shots." 

307 


A  FEW  INCIDENTS 

A  little  later  an  unofficial  detail  visited  the  outpost  and 
brought  the  prize  into  camp.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  the 
boys  enjoyed  their  dinner  immensely  the  following  day. 
The  captain  was  not  forgotten  in  the  distribution.  " Saddle 
your  horses  double  quick"  became  a  byword  among  the  boys 
in  the  company  during  the  remaining  time  of  its  service. 

INCIDENT  WHILE  ON  PICKET  DUTY. 

The  author  recalls  an  incident  that  occurred  while  the 
brigade  was  on  a  reconnoitering  expedition  in  the  Loudon 
Valley  in  W.  Va.  When,  on  a  certain  occasion,  the  regi 
ment  went  into  camp  late  at  night,  the  author  and  a  few 
other  comrades  were  sent  out  about  half  a  mile  from  camp 
to  picket  a  public  road.  Daylight  next  morning  revealed 
the  fact  that  we  were  stationed  near  a  residence  which  gave 
evidence  of  much  wealth.  A  few  of  us  rode  up  to  the  house 
and  were  met  by  an  elderly  lady  and  her  daughter.  They 
said  they  had  not  seen  any  Yankee  soldiers  before  and  seem 
ed  to  regard  us  with  suspicion.  We  engaged  them  in  con 
versation  and  they  told  us  that  the  father  and  two  sons  were 
in  the  Confederate  army,  and  that  with  the  exception  of  one 
old  slave,  all  the  rest  of  their  negroes  had  left  them  and  no 
one  was  left  to  do  the  work.  They  said,  too,  that  they  were 
almost  starving;  that  the  prices  for  the  necessities  of  life 
were  so  high  that  they  could  not  afford  to  buy  them.  They 
said  they  lived  principally  on  poultry,  eggs  and  milk.  While 
they  said  they  were  thoroughly  tired  of  the  war,  they  ex 
pressed  strong  faith  in  the  Confederate  cause,  and  were 
very  confident  they  would  win  in  the  end.  They  admitted 
that  they  were  beaten  at  Gettysburg,  but  hoped  that  they 
would  be  more  successful  next  time.  They  expressed  the 
opinion  that  the  leaders  on  both  sides  were  to  blame,  and 
that  the  common  people  were  sick  and  tired  of  the  war.  The 
young  lady  suggested  that  the  men  who  were  responsible  for 
the  war  ought  to  be  locked  up  in  a  room  together  and  made 
to  fight  it  out  among  themselves.  To  jolly  them  a  little,  we 
concurred  in  the  suggestion,  which  seemed  to  please  them 
very  much.  After  being  served  with  some  milk,  for  which 
compensation  was  refused,  we  doffed  our  caps  and  with  a 

308 


A  FEW  INCIDENTS 

military  salute  we  left  them.  The  above  is  a  fair  sample 
cf  how  the  Southern  people  felt,  how  they  fared  and  the 
conditions  which  obtained  generally  during  the  Civil  War. 

A  STRANGE  INCIDENT. 

During  one  of  the  engagements  at  Brandy  Station,  the 
regiment  was  supporting  a  battery  in  action.  Because  the 
men  were  very  much  exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  enemy,  they 
were  ordered  to  dismount  and  stand  to  horse.  While  in 
this  position,  Sergeant  -  — ,  who  usually  carried  a 

supply  of  tobacco  which  he  sold  to  the  men,  went  to  his 
saddlebag  to  get  some  tobacco  for  one  of  the  men.  Almost 
the  very  second  he  changed  his  position  a  shell  struck  his 
horse,  killing  it  instantly  and  scattering  the  tobacco  in 
every  direction.  Such  of  the  equipments  as  were  saved 
were  gathered  up,  the  tobacco  sold  was  delivered  and  the 
incident  treated  as  an  ordinary  occurrence.  The  sergeant 
went  to  the  rear,  but  in  less  than  an  hour  he  was  back  again 
and  took  his  place  in  the  line  as  though  nothing  unusual  had 
happened.  He  obtained  a  horse  from  one  of  the  men  who 
had  gone  to  the  rear  sick.  This  is  only  a  sample  of  many 
similar  incidents  of  narrow  escapes  in  engagements  which 
were  regarded  as  providential  rather  than  accidental.  There 
were  other  escapes  even  more  remarkable  which  have  never 
found  a  place  in  history. 

A  NARROW  ESCAPE. 

John  Wise,  a  member  of  Company  E,  the  author's  bunk- 
mate,  had  a  narrow  escape  of  his  life.  While  fighting  on 
the  skirmish  line  dismounted,  his  carbine  became  hot  and 
refused  to  work,  which  was  nothing  unusual.  While  he  was 
in  a  stooping  position,  with  his  one  knee  on  the  ground 
and  his  carbine  resting  on  the  other  knee,  with  his  head  in 
a  declining  position  adjusting  his  carbine,  a  bullet  from  the 
enemy  passed  through  his  cap,  right  over  the  center  of  his 
forehead,  making  a  slight  scalp  wound.  Had  he  stood  erect 
at  the  time,  he  would  have  been  killed  instantly. 


309 


GRANT'S  FINAL  CAMPAIGN. 

The  news  of  President  Lincoln's  visit  to  General  Grant  at 
City  Point,  in  March,  1865,  spread  rapidly  among  the 
troops,  and  was  construed  to  mean  that  plans  were  being  dis 
cussed  for  active  operations  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
This,  however,  seems  to  have  been  an  erroneous  impression 
as  it  is  reported  that  General  Grant  said  to  one  of  his 
staff  officers  about  that  time,  that  "The  President  is  one 
of  the  few  visitors  I  have  had  who  has  not  attempted  to  ex 
tract  from  me  a  knowledge  of  my  plans.  He  not  only  never 
asked  them,  but  said  it  was  better  he  should  not  know  them 
and  then  he  can  be  certain  to  keep  the  secret." 

On  the  morning  of  March  29,  1865,  General  Grant  bade 
good-by  to  the  President,  and  started  from  City  Point  for 
the  front.  Headquarters  for  the  night  were  established  at 
the  junction  of  the  Vaughn  and  Boynton  Roads.  Here  Gen 
eral  Sheridan  met  General  Grant  on  the  morning  of  March 
3Oth,  and  had  a  long  interview,  at  which  time,  it  is  said, 
the  plans  of  the  campaign  were  fully  detailed.  General 
Grant's  entire  army  was  now  in  motion,  but  the  heavy 
rains  and  the  densely  wooded  and  swampy  country  pre 
vented  rapid  movements,  as  it  was  with  great  difficulty  that 
the  artillery  and  heavy  wagons  could  be  moved. 

On  the  29th  of  March,  the  entire  Cavalry  Corps  moved 
in  a  southerly  direction  to  Ream's  Station  and  thence  west 
ward  to  Dinwiddie  Court  House  where  it  met  the  enemy 
in  force.  The  infantry  support,  the  Fifth  Corps,  under 
command  of  General  G.  K.  Warren,  was  slow  in  following 
and  giving  it  the  expected  support.  Dinwiddie  Court  House 
was  evidently  a  strategic  point,  as  five  roads  from  as  many 
different  directions  centered  here.  Seemingly  both  armies 
were  headed  in  the  direction  of  Dinwiddie  Court  House. 
General  Sheridan  having  arrived  first,  and  his  infantry  not 
having  arrived  yet,  he  at  once  made  preparation  to. defend 
the  place  until  the  Fifth  Corps  could  be  brought  to  his  sup 
port. 

310 


GRANT'S  FINAL  CAMPAIGN 

General  Thomas  C.  Devin's  division  covered  the  Five 
Forks  Road,  while  the  several  other  commands  covered 
other  approaches.  While  General  Sheridan  was  determined 
to  hold  Dinwiddie  Court  House,  the  Confederate  forces 
were  equally  determined  to  hold  Five  Forks,  possibly,  to 
the  Confederate  army,  equally  as  important  a  position. 
When  a  reconnoissance  by  General  Devin's  division  was 
made  in  the  direction  of  Five  Forks,  it  was  discovered 
that  the  enemy  had  constructed  temporary  breastworks  in  a 
heavily  timbered  grove,  and  were  determined  to  hold  the 
place.  The  regiment  made  several  charges,  first  mounted, 
and  later  dismounted,  but  failed  to  dislodge  them.  Later 
Generals  Merritt,  and  Devin,  Colonels  Fitzhugh  and  Dur- 
land,  with  some  other  officers,  were  seen,  almost  in  our 
immediate  rear,  in  consultation,  when  it  was  decided  to 
dismount  the  men  and  again  advance  the  entire  line.  Cap 
tain  J.  S.  Sponsler,  of  Company  F,  of  our  regiment,  who 
was  near  enough  to  hear  the  order,  hurried  to  his  men  and 
said:  "You  can  all  get  ready  for  another  walk  down  to 
the  woods,"  meaning  the  same  works,  they  had  charged 
before.  The  charge  was  ordered,  and  again  we  were  re 
pulsed,  this  time  with  fearful  losses.  At  least  forty  men 
of  the  regiment  that  walked  to  the  woods  on  that  after 
noon  never  walked  back  again. 

It  was  about  this  time  that  General  Sheridan  appeared 
on  the  field  and,  seeing  our  men  coming  back,  he  rushed 
in  the  midst  of  the  retiring  troops  and  cried  out  "Where 
is  my  flag?"  The  sergeant  who  carried  the  flag  rode  up 
to  him,  when  Sheridan  seized  the  flag,  waved  it  above  his 
head,  cheered  on  the  men  and  made  great  efforts  to  rally 
them  and  close  up  the  ranks.  Bullets  were  flying  thick 
and  fast,  one  pierced  the  general's  flag,  one  killed  the  ser 
geant  who  had  carried  the  flag,  another  wounded  Captain 
McGormigle,  and  others  struck  several  of  General  Sheri 
dan's  staff  officers.  General  Sheridan  now  dashed  from 
one  point  of  the  line  to  another,  waving  his  flag  and  en 
couraging  the  men,  and  the  lines  were  reformed.  The 
enemy  now  came  out  of  the  breastwork,  and  advanced  upon 
our  line,  no  doubt  expecting  to  drive  us  from  the  field 


GRANT'S  FINAL  CAMPAIGN 

and  thus  get  possession  of  Dinwiddie  Court  House.  But 
their  assault  was  not  only  repulsed,  but,  simultaneously  the 
order  was  given  for  a  counter  charge.  With  rousing  cheers, 
General  Sheridan's  troopers  dashed  forward,  this  time 
sweeping  everything  before  them.  Outside  of  the  intrench- 
ments  our  men  had  at  least  an  equal  chance  for  a  square 
fight.  On  and  on  they  rushed  with  a  desperation  that 
gave  the  enemy  no  chance  even  to  reform  their  lines  be 
hind  their  own  intrenchments,  showing  that  our  men  were 
determined  to  repay  them  for  the  heavy  losses  they  had  in 
flicted  upon  us  in  our  several  previous  charges.  About  one 
thousand  prisoners  were  captured. 

The  enthusiasm  of  our  men  on  this  occasion  was  largely 
due  to  the  presence  of  Generals  Sheridan,  Merritt,  Devin 
and  other  officers,  who  rode  along  the  line  and  encouraged 
them.  The  repulse  and  advance  was  sharp,  quick  and  un 
questionably  decisive;  and  as  the  enemy  retired  even  a  con 
siderable  distance  beyond  the  woods  from  which  they  had 
so  boisterously  advanced  a  short  time  before,  all  danger  of 
driving  General  Sheridan's  cavalry  disappeared.  In  this 
assault,  however,  General  Devin's  division  became  too  far 
advanced  and  exposed  its  flanks.  Being  cut  off  from  a 
direct  retreat,  it  was  compelled  to  make  a  wide  detour  to 
get  back  to  the  main  body  of  the  Cavalry  Corps.  The  fol 
lowing  day  there  were  several  reconnoissances  by  the  cav 
alry,  and  it  took  nearly  all  day  for  General  Sheridan  to 
complete  his  plans  for  a  general  attack.  Two  divisions  of 
the  Fifth  Corps  formed  the  center  of  the  line,  one  division 
with  a  brigade  of  cavalry,  formed  on  the  enemy's  right  flank, 
while  the  remainder  of  the  Cavalry  Corps  began  the  at 
tack  by  striking  the  enemy's  left  flank.  This  attack  was 
followed  by  a  general  advance  along  the  entire  line.  The 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  with  other  regiments, 
advanced  dismounted,  driving  back  the  enemy's  right  flank 
without  much  resistance.  Evidently  the  Confederates  were 
not  prepared  for  this  flank  assault,  and  soon  their 
entire  line  left  the  trenches  and  was  in  full 
retreat.  Many  threw  down  their  arms  and  volun 
tarily  surrendered.  General  Sheridan  estimated  his 

312 


GRANT'S  FINAL  CAMPAIGN 

loss  in  this  engagement  at  about  one  thousand,  while  the 
enemy's  loss  was  estimated  at  from  three  to  four  thousand. 
The  decisive  character  of  this  victory  must  have  been  most 
distressing  to  General  Lee.  That  portion  of  his  army  with 
which  he  no  doubt  expected  to  cover  his  retreat  and  pro 
tect  his  supply  trains  was  badly  defeated  and  greatly  de 
moralized. 

The  following  day  General  Sheridan  pushed  forward 
his  cavalry  to  near  the  White  Oak  Road,  where  he  made 
a  short  halt  for  the  Fifth  Corps  to  come  up.  In  the  mean 
time  the  cavalry  were  reconnoitering  in  different  directions, 
watching  the  enemy's  movements.  General  Sheridan  was 
now  threatening  Lee's  rear,  and,  on  April  2d,  our  division 
(Devin's)  again  encountered  a  considerable  force  of  the 
Confederate  cavalry,  which  was  driven  from  the  field,  so 
that  we  came  in  possession  of  the  South  Side  Railroad  and 
destroyed  as  much  of  the  track  as  was  possible  during  the 
short  time  we  remained.  In  the  meantime  many  wagons 
and  much  artillery,  that  were  abandoned  by  the  hasty  re 
treat  of  the  enemy  fell  into  our  hands.  During  the  night 
the  Fifth  Corps  had  again  arrived  within  reasonable  sup 
porting  distance,  and,  early  on  the  morning  of  April  3d, 
we  were  again  in  the  saddle,  still  following  the  retreating 
enemy,  engaging  them  wherever  they  took  a  stand.  The 
indications  now  were  that  Lee  was  concentrating  his  army 
in  the  vicinity  of  Jettersville  or  Burkeville  on  the  Richmond 
and  Danville  Railroad.  This  information  was  obtained 
by  General  Sheridan  from  a  suspicious-looking  man  who 
rode  into  his  lines,  on  whom,  on  being  searched,  was  found, 
in  his  boots,  a  telegram  in  duplicate  from  General  Lee's 
commissary  general : — "This  army  is  at  Amelia  Court  House, 
short  of  rations.  Send  three  hundred  thousand  rations 
quickly  to  Burkeville  Junction." 

It  was  construed  by  General  Sheridan  that  General  George 
Crook,  who  had  been  sent  in  the  direction  of  the  Richmond 
and  Danville  Railroad  to  cut  Lee's  communication,  had 
succeeded  in  cutting  the  wires,  hence  the  attempt  to  send 
the  message  by  messenger.  Upon  this  information  General 
Sheridan  issued  forced  marching  orders  for  his  command  to 

313 


GRANT'S  FINAL  CAMPAIGN 

concentrate  at  Burkeville.  General  Sheridan,  too,  was  quite 
anxious  to  capture  the  supply  trains  that  were  reported  en- 
route  somewhere  in  Lee's  rear,  so  he  directed  Major  H. 
H.  Young,  his  chief  of  scouts,  to  send  four  of  his  men  to 
Burkeville  Junction,  two  of  them  to  take  the  road  toward 
Danville  and  two  toward  Lynchburg.  As  soon  as  a  tele 
graph  station  was  reached  a  telegram  was  to  be  transmitted 
to  hurry  forward  the  provision  trains.  It  would  be  most 
interesting  to  know  what  success  these  scouts  had,  but 
a  careful  examination  of  the  various  official  reports  of  the 
army  about  this  time  fail  to  make  further  mention  of  them. 
Late  in  the  afternoon  the  Fifth  Corps  arrived,  relieved  the 
cavalry,  and  entrenched  itself  across  the  Burkeville  Roacl 
which  indicated  a  determination  to  hold  the  place  until  the 
main  army  should  come  up.  Early  the  following  morning, 
April  4th,  the  cavalry  was  put  in  motion,  reconnoitering-in 
different  directions  looking  for  the  enemy.  Our  division, 
(General  Devin's)  demonstrating  in  the  direction  of  Amelia 
Court  House,  had  several  skirmishes,  evidently  intended  to 
ascertain  the  enemy's  location  and  strength  without  bring 
ing  on  a  general  engagement.  On  April  5th,  we  reached 
Tettersville  where  we  located  the  enemy  in  force.  Here  the 
cavalry  were  relieved  by  the  Sixth  Corps.  During  the 
same  day  General  Henry  E.  Davie's  brigade  of  General 
George  Crook's  division  made  a  reconnoissance  to  Panes 
Crossroads,  some  distance  north  of  Jettersville,  and  suc 
ceeded  in  destroying  a  Confederate  supply  train  of  several 
hundred  wagons,  including  General  Lee's  headquarter 
wagons. 

On  the  morning  of  April  6th,  the  cavalry  started  in  the 
direction  of  Rice's  Station,  and  before  long  another  supply 
train  of  the  Confederate  army  was  discovered.  While  we 
had  a  fairly  good  view  of  at  least  a  portion  of  this  train, 
and  were  eager  to  capture  the  same,  it  was  strongly  guarded 
so  that  in  our  first  attempt  we  were  repulsed.  But  we  kept 
on  their  flank,  watching  for  a  favorable  opportunity,  which 
occurred  at  the  crossing  of  Sailor's  Creek,  where  the  strong 
guard  of  the  train  was  driven  off  and  we  captured  some 
fifteen  pieces  of  artillery,  about  two  hundred  wagons  and 


GRANT'S  FINAL  CAMPAIGN 

a  considerable  number  of  prisoners.  About  this  time,  too, 
General  Sheridan  was  informed  by  one  of  his  scouts  that 
several  trains,  loaded  with  provisions,  were  waiting  at  Ap- 
pomattox  Station  for  Lee's  army.  It  is  said  that  the  report 
of  this  scout  largely  shaped  the  events  of  the  two  closing 
days  of  the  campaign.  It  showed  the  direction  in  which 
General  Lee's  army  was  going.  The  cavalry  were  imme 
diately  pushed  forward  to  that  point  with  all  possible  speed. 
General  George  A.  Custer's  division  was  in  the  advance, 
and,  about  midnight  of  April  7th,  it  reached  Appomattox 
Station,  captured  the  trains  and  sent  them  to  the  rear.  Thus 
the  provisions  so  much  needed  for  General  Lee's  almost 
starving  army,  fell  into  the  hands  of  our  cavalry. 

The  advance  of  the  Confederate  army's  retreat  had  just 
reached  that  point  a  few  hours  before  and  gone  into  camp. 
So  sudden  and  effective  was  this  midnight  attack  that  the 
camp  was  completely  routed  and  a  large  number  of  wagons, 
and  some  twenty-five  pieces  of  artillery  that  had  just  been 
packed  for  the  night,  were  also  captured.  General  Sheri 
dan's  cavalry  had  now  cut  across  the  line  of  General  Lee's 
retreat,  and  every  possible  means  was  employed,  with  the 
then  available  troops,  to  harass  the  further  advance  of 
the  Confederate  army  until  the  infantry  could  be  brought 
up.  A  line  of  defense  was  established.  Our  division 
(Devin's)  was  formed  on  the  right  of  General  Custer's 
line,  and  one  brigade  of  General  Crook's  division  on  the 
left,  while  the  other  two  brigades  were  held  in  reserve. 
The  captured  trains  were  taken  charge  of  by  some  of  Gen 
eral  Custer's  men  who  had  been  locomotive  engineers  who 
amused  themselves  by  running  the  trains  backward  and  for 
ward  and  blowing  the  steam  whistles.  This  created  the 
wildest  enthusiasm  among  the  men  and  much  cheering  was 
indulged  in.  As  soon  as  the  infantry  had  come  up  and  were 
placed  in  position,  General  Sheridan  ordered  an  advance 
and  the  enemy  was  forced  back  some  three  or  four  miles. 

On  the  night  of  April  8th,  General  Sheridan  had  estab 
lished  his  headquarters  at  a  small  frame  house  not  far 
from  Appomattox  Station.  No  one  slept  that  night.  Gen 
erals  Merritt,  Crook,  Devin,  Custer,  and  other  prominent 

315 


GRANT'S  FINAL  CAMPAIGN 

officers  were  frequently  at  Sheridan's  headquarters.  There 
were  all  sorts  of  rumors  that  General  Lee  was  about  to 
surrender  and  everybody  was  jubilant.  General  Sheridan 
was  now  squarely  astride  the  enemy's  retreat  and  all  that 
was  necessary  was  to  hold  the  place  he  then  occupied  until 
the  infantry  could  be  brought  to  his  support.  The  im 
portance  of  getting  the  infantry  up  was  so  obvious  now 
that  one  staff  officer  after  the  other  was  sent  to  push  for 
ward  the  Sixth  Corps  with  the  greatest  possible  speed. 
After  an  all  night  march  the  Sixth  Corps  arrived  about  sun 
rise  and  immediately  formed  in  the  rear  of  the  dismounted 
cavalry  who  had  held  the  enemy  in  check  up  to  this  time. 
After  the  infantry  line  was  formed,  the  cavalry  retired, 
mounted  their  horses  and  continued  the  line  on  the  right 
flank.  The  cavalry's  withdrawal  evidently  encouraged  the 
Confederates,  who  began  to  press  forward  with  a  deter 
mination  to  cut  their  way  through  our  lines.  The  as 
sault  was  not  only  repulsed  but  followed  with  a  counter 
charge,  forcing  the  gray  line  back  in  confusion,  and  before 
they  had  time  to  reform  their  line,  General  Sheridan  formed 
Devin's  and  Custer's  divisions  to  charge  their  left  flank. 

About  this  time  a  staff  officer  galloped  up  to  General 
Sheridan  with  orders  not  to  charge  that  "Lee  has  surren 
dered;  the  white  flag  is  up."  General  Sheridan  at  once 
hurried  staff  officers  to  the  several  commands  that  were 
about  ready  to  charge,  notifying  them  of  the  suspension  of 
hostilities;  and  immediately  himself,  with  his  staff  and  a 
small  escort,  rode  over  to  the  court-house  to  join  a  group  of 
Confederate  officers.  On  the  way  across  the  ravine  some 
South  Carolina  cavalry  continued  firing  after  having  been 
notified  by  General  John  B.  Gordon  to  cease  firing.  Colonel 
Geary,  who  was  in  command,  replied:  "I  do  not  care  for 
white  flags ;  South  Carolinans  never  surrender  "  Soon,  how 
ever,  all  firing  ceased.  The  rumor  that  General  Lee  had 
surrendered  spread  rapidly  among  the  troops.  The  rumor 
gathered  strength ;  no  one  seemed  to  know  definitely.  While 
recent  events  evidenced  an  early  termination  of  the  war,  the 
end  came  so  suddenly  that  the  men  did  not  know  whether 
to  believe  it  or  not.  Naturally  there  was  cheering  and 


GRANT'S  FINAL  CAMPAIGN 

demonstrations  of  various  kinds  by  some  of  the  men ;  while 
others  who  took  a  more  sober  view  of  the  situation,  would 
say :  "Can  it  be  possible  that  the  war  is  now  over  ?  No  more 
fighting,  no  more  marching,  no  more  picket  duty,  it  is  all 
over."  Men  could  hardly  realize  that  it  was  true.  During 
the  afternoon  our  brigade  was  ordered  to  go  into  camp. 
All  sorts  of  opinions  were  expressed  as  to  what  terms  Gen 
eral  Grant  was  going  to  offer  and  what  General  Lee  would 
be  obliged  to  accept.  The  men  went  to  sleep  that  night 
with  strong  hopes  that  the  conference  between  Generals 
Grant  and  Lee  then  pending,  would  terminate  favorably. 
When,  the  following  morning,  we  were  assured  that  Lee's 
surrender  had  been  effected,  there  was  much  rejoicing  and 
congratulations,  and  the  thought  of  soon  being  at  home 
with  our  loved  ones  cheered  us  greatly. 

And  now  that  we  have  reached  the  final  act  of  the  great 
Civil  War,  the  reader  will  no  doubt  be  interested  to  know 
the  terms  proposed  by  General  Grant  and  accepted  by  Gen 
eral  Lee  for  the  surrender  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virgi 
nia.  The  following  is  a  synopsis  of  the  terms  proposed  oy 
General  Grant,  viz. : 

"Rolls  of  all  the  officers  and  men  to  be  made  in  duplicate ; 
one  copy  to  be  given  to  an  officer  to  be  disignated  by  me, 
the  other  to  be  retained  by  such  officer  or  officers  as  you 
may  designate.  The  officers  to  give  their  individual  paroles 
not  to  take  up  arms  against  the  Government  of  the  United 
States  until  properly  exchanged ;  and  each  company  or  regi 
mental  commander  to  sign  a  like  parole  for  the  men  of  their 
commands.  The  arms,  artillery  and  public  property  to  be 
packed  and  stacked  and  turned  over  to  the  officers  appointed 
by  me  to  receive  them.  This  will  not  embrace  the  side 
arms  of  the  officers,  nor  their  private  horses  or  baggage. 
This  done,  each  officer  and  man  will  be  allowed  to  return  to 
his  home  not  to  be  disturbed  by  the  United  States  authority 
so  long  as  they  obey  their  paroles  and  the  laws  in  force 
where  they  may  reside." 

To  these  terms  General  Lee,  addressing  General  Grant, 
replied : — 

3*7 

21— 17th   R. 


GRANT'S  FINAL  CAMPAIGN 

"I  received  your  letter  of  this  date,  containing  the  terms 
of  surrender  of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  as  proposed 
by  you.  As  they  are  substantially  the  same  as  those  ex 
pressed  in  your  letter  of  the  8th  instant,  they  are  accepted. 
I  will  proceed  to  designate  the  proper  officers  to  carry  the 
stipulations  into  effect." 

"April  9,  1865." 

It  was  later  ascertained  that  of  the  one  hundred  and  fifty 
thousand  men  whose  names  were  borne  on  the  muster  rolls 
of  General  Lee's  army  a  few  weeks  before,  only  twenty- 
eight  thousand  three  hundred  and  fifty-six  officers  and  men 
were  paroled,  thus  showing  the  large  number  of  men  who 
were  either  killed,  wounded,  or  captured,  or  who  had  de 
serted  Lee's  army.  The  surrender  was  now  an  assured 
fact,  and  the  alternating  hopes  and  fears  of  the  past  twenty- 
four  hours  found  expression  in  repeated  cheers  such  as 
only  victorious  soldiers  can  give.  We  were  now  admonish 
ed  not  to  be  too  profuse  in  our  demonstrations — to  use  no 
insulting  language  or  offensive  epithets  to  the  prisoners. 
Many  of  General  Lee's  devoted  followers  now  crowded 
around  their  chieftain  to  grasp  his  hand  and  give  him  a 
parting  cheer.  There  were  tears  in  their  eyes,  and  the 
parting  was  a  sad  one.  Finally  General  Lee  composed  him 
self  and  said : — "Men,  we  have  fought  through  it  all  together. 
I  have  done  the  best  I  could."  Orders  were  immediately 
issued  to  give  food  to  our  prisoners,  many  of  whom  had  been 
deprived  of  their  rations  for  three  or  four  days.  In  the 
meantime  many  of  our  men  hastened  to  divide  their  rations 
with  their  late  enemies  to  stay  their  hunger  till  provision 
could  be  drawn  for  them. 

AFTER  GENERAL  LEE'S  SURRENDER. 

April  loth,  General  Sheridan  with  his  cavalry  started  for 
Petersburg.  Arriving  at  Nottoway  Court  House,  the  news 
reached  us  of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln.  This 
dastardly  act  stirred  the  men  greatly  and  they  were  pre 
pared  for  any  emergency.  After  a  short  rest  at  Petersburg, 
General  Sheridan  received  orders  to  march  his  cavalry  and 
the  Sixth  Corps  to  Greensboro,  N.  C,  to  aid  General  Sher- 

318 


GRANT'S  FINAL  CAMPAIGN 

man  in  capturing  the  Confederate  army  under  General 
Johnson.  We  left  Petersburg  April  24th,  and  had  reached 
South  Boston  on  the  29th,  where  General  Sheridan  received 
a  despatch  from  General  Halleck  at  Washington,  D.  C,  in 
forming  him  that  General  Johnson  had  surrendered.  General 
Sheridan  returned  with  his  command  to  Petersburg. 

On  May  loth,  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry, 
with  other  cavalry  commands,  started  on  its  last  march,  viz., 
from  Petersburg  to  Washington,  D.  C.  We  crossed  the 
James  River,  passed  through  the  city  of  Richmond,  out 
the  Brook  Turnpike  and  went  into  camp  on  the  same  ground 
we  had  fought  over  just  one  year  before.  May  nth,  we  cross 
ed  the  South  Anna  River  at  Ground  Squirrel  Bridge.  May 
1 2th,  we  passed  through  Taylorsville.  May  I3th,  we 
crossed  the  Rapidan  River  at  Racoon  Ford.  May  I4th, 
passed  through  Stevensburg  and  Brandy  Station  and  crossed 
the  Rappahannock  River  at  Kelly's  Ford.  May  I5th,  march 
ed  through  Fairfax  Court  House.  Here  we  received  the 
news  of  the  capture  of  the  President  of  the  Southern  Con 
federacy,  Jefferson  Davis.  May  i6th,  we  marched  to  near 
Alexandria  and  remained  in  camp  for  a  few  days.  May 
2 ist,  marched  across  the  Long  Bridge  and  through  Mary 
land  Avenue  and  went  into  camp  near  Bladensburg.  May 
22d,  the  day  was  spent  cleaning  up  and  getting  ready  for 
the  Grand  Review  in  the  City  of  Washington  the  following 
day.  May  23d,  early  in  the  morning,  the  regiment  marched 
to  Capitol  Hill  and  took  its  place  in  the  line  of  parade  and 
for  the  last  time  passed  in  review  before  its  commander-in- 
chief.  That  vast  thoroughfare,  Pennsylvania  Avenue  was 
crowded  and  the  people  were  wild  with  joy.  May  29th, 
we  marched  again  through  Washington  and  Alexandria  and 
went  into  camp  at  Cloud's  Mills,  Virginia,  where  on  June 
16,  1865,  the  regiment  was  mustered  out  of  the  United 
States  service  and  its  record  passed  into  history. 


319 


JOSEPH  C.  JONES. 

SERGEANT  COMPANY  L,  CONSHOHOCKEN,  PENNA. 
Sergeant  J.  C.  Jones,  of  Company  L,  relates  a  thrilling 
experience  he  had  during  the  battle  of  Trevilian  Station, 
Va.,  June  12,  1864.  While  General  A.  T.  A.  Torbert,  com 
manding  the  First  Division,  with  two  brigades  engaged  the 
enemy  in  his  immediate  front,  General  G.  A.  Custer  with 
his  brigade  was  ordered  to  attack  in  their  rear,  which  he 
did  successfully.  But  the  enemy  was  reinforced  and  Gen 
eral  Custer  was  later  repulsed  with  heavy  losses.  Not 
having  received  any  word  from  General  Custer  for  some 
time,  General  Torbert  was  quite  apprehensive  concerning 
the  safety  of  General  Custer's  command.  Four  different 
messengers  were  sent  at  different  times  to  communicate 
with  him.  All  returned  stating  that  it  was  impossible  to 
get  through  the  lines,  whereupon  General  Torbert  directed 
his  provost  marshal,  Lieutenant-colonel  Theo.  W.  Bean,  to 
select  two  well  mounted  men  and  follow  the  trail  taken  by 
General  Custer,  and,  if  possible,  to  locate  him  and  report 
his  condition.  Captain  Wallace,  of  the  Fifth  Michigan  Cav 
alry,  and  Sergeant  Jones,  of  our  regiment,  volunteered  to 
accompany  Colonel  Bean.  They  passed  some  distance  to 
the  rear  of  our  lines  and  struck  General  Custer's  trail.  Dash 
ing  along  at  a  rapid  gallop  in  the  direction  of  where  they 
heard  Custer's  guns,  they  suddenly  emerged  from  a  wood 
land,  and  while  descending  a  sharp  hill,  overhung  with 
drooping  branches  of  trees  on  both  sides  of  the  road,  to 
their  amazement  they  were  confronted  by  about  fifty  dis 
mounted  Rebel  cavalry.  Before  they  could  check  their 
horses  they  were  only  about  forty  yards  apart.  The  Rebel 
officer  gave  the  command  to  mount  and  a  dozen  or  more 
carbine  bullets  were  singing  near  them.  It  was  fortunate 
that  they  were  well  mounted.  With  pistols  in  hand  and 
spur  to  the  flank  the  distance  between  the  pursuers  and  the 
pursued  increased  and  the  trio  reached  our  lines  in  safety. 

320 


JOSKPII     C.    JoXKS. 

Sergeant,  Company  1..  Conshohocken,  Pa. 


JOSEPH   C  JONES 

Failing,  after  repeated  efforts,  to  get  a  message  to  Gen 
eral  Custer,  General  Torbert  became  greatly  alarmed  about 
the  fate  of  his  command.  He  was  just  about  directing  a 
movement  for  his  relief,  when  Major  Dana,  who  had  orig 
inally  accompanied  General  Custer,  came  in  and  reported 
that  Custer's  command  was  heavily  engaged,  but  felt  con 
fident  that  he  would  cut  his  way  out,  which  he  did. 


321 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  SEVENTEENTH  REGI 
MENT,  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEER 
CAVALRY. 

BY  SERGEANT  JOSEPH  E.    MCCABE,   OF  COMPANY  A. 

For  the  purpose  of  preserving  the  enviable  record  made 
by  Company  A  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry,  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  by 
special  request  Sergeant  Joseph  E.  McCabe,  a  member  of 
the  company,  furnished  the  following  itinerary  record  of  the 
company.  As  the  company  was  never  detached  from  the 
regiment,  the  itinerary  of  the  company  is  virtually  the  itin 
erary  of  the  regiment. 

It  is  but  justice  to  Sergeant  McCabe  to  state  that  the  in 
teresting  itinerary  and  narrative  here  given  is  taken  sub 
stantially  from  a  series  of  papers  published  by  him  in  one  of 
the  Beaver  county  newspapers  some  years  after  the  war. 
Consequently  there  are  many  expressions  in  the  free  and 
easy  colloquial  style  of  the  period  when  the  war  and  its 
memories  were  fresh  in  the  minds  of  all  the  participants. 

As  a  complete  itinerary  of  the  regiment  it  is  of  great 
value,  being  the  only  full  record  of  the  kind  that  is  now 
attainable. 

Company  A  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry,  was  organized  in  Beaver,  August,  1862, 
under  the  direction  of  Capt.  D.  M.  Donehoo,  the  Company 
to  be  known  as  the  Irwin  Cavalry.  First  Lieutenant,  J.  Q. 
Anderson,  of  Beaver;  Second  Lieutenant,  John  Swaney, 
of  Shippingport. 

After  our  company  had  its  quota  of  men,  we  were  ordered 
to  the  State  Capital,  where  we  lay  quite  a  time  in  Old  Camp 
Curtin.  And  well  do  we  all  remember  the  commander  of 
our  camp — "Old  Tarbutton,"  as  the  boys  called  him.  We 
thought  he  was  so  very  strict;  our  quarters  had  to  be  kept 
as  clean  and  neat  as  possible.  And  we  have  not  forgotten 
the  day  when  two  old  plugs  of  horses  were  brought  up  to  our 
camp,  to  have  the  soldiers  try  their  skill  in  riding  and  jump 
ing  over  a  pole,  which  was  about  two  feet  high,  and  all  who 

322 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

could  stick  on  the  horse  while  jumping  would  be  received 
for  the  cavalry  service.  I  believe  we  had  no  one  to  fail  in 
doing  this  wonderful  feat  in  our  company. 

Shortly  after  this,  when  the  battle  of  Antietam  was  rag 
ing  hot,  we  were  ordered  to  the  State  Capital  to  receive 
muskets.  After  being  equipped  we  were  marched  to  the 
cars,  packed  in  some  old  cattle  cars  and  sent  by  rail  up  the 
Cumberland  Valley.  Our  first  place  to  disembark  was 
Chambersburg,  where  we  went  into  camp  for  the  night. 
The  next  morning  we  marched  to  a  little  place  called  Smoke- 
town,  went  into  camp  and  remained  five  or  six  days.  We 
were  then  about  twelve  miles  from  Hagerstown,  where  we 
could  very  distinctly  hear  the  roar  of  cannon.  Our  first  scare 
was  soon  over.  We  returned  to  Harrisburg  and  laid  in 
camp  for  a  few  days,  when  we  were  hurried  out  of  camp 
late  one  evening  to  go  down  to  the  Capitol  and  receive  arms, 
as  it  was  reported  the  Rebs  were  coming  into  Pennsylvania. 
We  remained  over  night  in  Harrisburg  and  returned  to  our 
camp  in  the  morning.  The  next  excitement  was  the  election 
of  commanding  officers  for  our  regiment.  The  company 
officers  all  proceeded  to  Harrisburg  for  the  election.  D. 
M.  Donehoo,  being  captain  of  Company  A,  which  twas  the 
first  company  organized,  was  entitled  to  the  choice  for 
colonel  (which  of  course  fell  on  Capt.  D.  M.  Donehoo). 
The  officers  elected  were  as  follows :  D.  M.  Donehoo,  col 
onel;  Capt.  McCallister,  of  Company  I,  lieutenant  colonel. 
After  the  election  was  over,  and  all  quiet  again,  the  com 
missioning  of  the  officers  was  the  next  thing  to  be  done.  It 
was  shown  that  no  officer  could  be  commissioned  as  colonel 
for  a  cavalry  regiment  but  one  who  was  a  captain  in  the 
Regular  Army,  and  the  consequence  was,  J.  H.  Kellogg,  of 
the  First  U.  S.  Regulars,  was  commissioned  colonel  of  the 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  and  you  might  know 
the  dissatisfaction  it  created  among  volunteer  soldiers ;  but 
nevertheless  we  had  to  be  content,  as  we  had  taken  the  oath 
to  support  the  Government  and  obey  all  military  laws. 

We  were  now  moved  to  a  new  camp  near  Harrisburg.  J. 
H.  Kellogg,  as  colonel;  first  major,  D.  Hartranft;  second 
major,  Coe  Durland;  third  major,  Reuben  R.  Reinhold. 

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ITINERARY  OF  THE   REGIMENT 

The  organization  of  the  regiment  was  perfected  on  the  I7th 
day  of  November,  1862.  H.  M.  Donehoo,  of  Company  A, 
was  commissioned  commissary,  with  the  rank  of  first 
lieutenant;  P.  J.  Tate,  as  adjutant,  rank  first  lieutenant; 
John  Anglun,  quartermaster,  with  the  rank  of  first 
lieutenant;  Major  Isaac  Walburn  as  surgeon;  this 
completed  the  organization.  The  regiment  was  com 
posed  of  twelve  companies,  one  hundred  men  in  each 
company.  We  were  now  ready  to  receive  our  horses  and 
other  equipments  with  which  we  were  soon  supplied.  The 
regiment  was  divided  into  squadrons  (two  companies  com 
pose  a  squadron).  The  camp  we  occupied  was  called  Camp 
McClellan;  we  remained  here  until  late  in  the  fall. 

Our  next  move  was  to  Washington  City,  where  we 
went  into  camp  on  capitol  hill,  and  after  three  days 
rest  we  were  supplied  with  army  revolvers  and  cavalry 
sabres.  We  were  then  sent  into  Virginia,  but  were  not  sup 
plied  with  ammunition.  Well  do  we  know  the  folly  of 
going  into  the  enemy's  country  without  being  fully  pre 
pared  to  meet  an  attack,  which  was  awaiting  us  when  we 
arrived  at  a  small  creek  in  Virginia,  called  Occoquan,  that 
we  had  to  cross  by  means  of  a  small  flat.  At  this  point  we 
were  attacked  on  entering  the  banks  of  the  creek,  were 
fired  into  by  the  Rebels,  and  now  we  felt  the  loss  of  not 
having  a  supply  of  ammunition,  although  some  of  the  boys 
had  a  little,  which  was  used.  These  being  the  first  Rebel 
soldiers  we  ever  met,  you  may  know  there  were  some 
frightened  boys  in  the  Seventeenth  Cavalry,  but,  our  colonel 
being  a  regular  army  officer,  understood  our  condition,  and 
made  a  selection  of  men  who  soon  drove  the  enemy  off. 

We  went  into  camp  for  the  night,  and  in  the  morning  we 
crossed  and  encamped  until  the  wagons  with  our  stores  all 
got  safely  over.  Our  next  move  was  an  advance  in  the 
direction  of  Stafford  Court  House.  We  encamped  about 
four  miles  from  the  Court  House,  and  fifteen  miles  of  Fal- 
mouth,  Va.  The  army  of  the  Potomac  was  then  under 
command  of  Major  General  Burnside.  We  were  now  put 
on  picket  duty.  Our  camp  was  called  "Muddy  Camp." 
We  did  not  get  away  from  here  until  late  in  the  winter. 

324 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

A  portion  of  Company  A  was  out  on  the  outpost  one 
very  dark  night  doing  picket  duty,  and  it  was  raining  in 
cessantly,  when  the  rebels  slipped  up  on  us  and  fired  a 
volley  with  old  shot  guns  and  muskets,  without  giving  any 
warning  whatever,  killing  Millo  Kain,  of  New  Sheffield, 
Leonard  Miller,  of  the  same  place,  and  wounding  Lieuten 
ant  P.  A.  English,  David  Hall,  Brice  Ramsey,  Godfrey 
Miller,  Samuel  Christy,  and  four  others  who  were  taken 
prisoners.  • 

CAMP  AT  ACQUIA  CHURCH. 

In  a  few  days  after  this  loss  we  were  ordered  to  move 
camp  to  Acquia  Church,  a  distance  of  three  miles  from 
Muddy  Camp.  We  were  now  put  on  picket  and  patrol 
duty — had  a  line  of  twelve  miles  to  protect  between  our 
camp  and  Dumfries.  I  think  every  soldier  who  was  with 
us  that  winter  will  ever  remember  the  hardships  we  had  to 
endure,  snow,  rain  and  mud  being  plenty.  Early  in  the 
spring  a  portion  of  the  regiment,  under  command  of  Major 
Coe  Durland,  was  ordered  to  a  place  called  Spotted  Tavern, 
in  Virginia.  J.  P.  Ross,  then  commissary  sergeant  of  the 
regiment,  and  myself  were  ordered  to  accompany  the  com 
mand  with  commissary  stores.  Lieutenant  H.  M.  Donehoo, 
the  commissary  of  the  regiment,  remained  with  the  com 
mand  in  camp. 

Our  march  was  through  a  constant  rain,  and  mud  almost 
to  our  horses'  knees.  On  going  into  camp  for  the  night, 
we  put  up  our  shelter  tents,  or,  as  we  called  them,  dog  tents, 
and  put  in  the  night  as  best  we  could,  for  it  rained  con 
stantly  all  night.  At  last  day  dawned,  and  you  may  imagine 
the  glad  hearts  it  made.  After  getting  our  coffee  in  the 
morning,  we  were  soon  on  the  road  under  way;  but  the 
wagons  stuck  in  the  mud,  and  the  only  remedy  now  was  to 
double  team  and  pull  them  out,  for  without  supplies  we 
could  do  nothing.  By  perseverance  and  hard  work  in  our 
march  we  arrived  at  the  point  we  started  for,  the  rain  never 
ceasing.  It  was  now  dark,  and  our  second  day  from  camp. 

The  Spotted  Tavern  was  an  old  log  house  and  one  log 
shanty,  which  made  the  place  look  quite  romantic.  Com 
missary  Ross  was  made  speaker  for  the  party  connected 

325 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

with  the  commissary  department.  We  put  on  a  bold  front 
and  entered  the  old  log  house,  which  had  but  one  small 
room  about  ten  by  twelve ;  here  we  found  an  old  man,  with 
his  wife,  two  daughters  and  a  large  dog,  which  comprised 
the  family.  Mr.  Ross  made  arrangements  with  the  old  lady  to 
get  supper,  we  furnishing  the  eatables,  especially  coffee  and 
salt;  the  bread  they  had  for  us  was  corn-dodgers,  baked  in 
the  ashes.  Nevertheless,  we  enjoyed  all  that  was  set  be 
fore  us,  for  we  were  wet,  hungry  and  saucy. 

The  party  consisted  of  six  persons.  We  were  quite  a 
novelty  to  the  family,  being  the  first  live  Yankees  they  had 
ever  seen.  They  were  led  to  believe  we  would  kill  them, 
but  after  we  were  through  with  our  supper  they  concluded 
we  were  not  as  bad  as  they  had  been  led  to  believe.  When 
we  first  came  up  to  the  house  the  family  made  for  the 
woods,  but  the  old  lady,  being  feeble,  could  not  get  away 
far;  she  found  a  hiding  place  behind  the  smoke-house. 

Supper  over,  the  next  thing  was  to  make  arrangements 
for  staying  all  night,  as  it  was  raining;  so  I  mustered  up 
courage  and  made  things  all  O.  K.  with  the  old  folks,  and 
the  family  was  soon  huddled  in  one  bed — the  only  one  in  the 
house — the  old  dog  taking  his  place  under  the  bed.  We 
placed  our  blankets  on  the  floor,  and  were  soon  in  the  land 
of  Nod.  The  room  being  so  small,  the  old  lady  was  obliged 
to  set  her  pots  and  kettles  out  by  the  door  to  make  room  for 
us,  and  in  the  morning  some  of  her  kitchen  furniture  was 
missing.  The  soldiers  had  taken  the  tea  kettle ;  and  now 
the  old  lady  used  her  tongue  on  the  "Yanks"  with  a  venge 
ance.  She  came  to  me,  made  known  her  troubles,  and  I 
made  search  in  the  wagon  train  and  found  it.  During  our 
stay  I  was  "the  best  Yank  in  the  Northern  army." 

We  laid  here  but  a  short  time,  when  we  returned  to  the 
regiment  in  our  old  camp,  where  we  laid  until  General 
Burnside  went  on  his  famous  mud  march,  which  we  joined. 
But  it  was  of  short  duration.  We  marched  up  the  Rappa- 
hannock  river,  but  were  compelled  to  return  on  account  of 
the  trains  sticking  in  the  mud.  We  remained  in  camp 
until  early  in  the  spring  of  '63.  Our  first  move  in 
the  spring  was  on  a  grand  review  of  the  Army  of  the  Po- 

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ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

tomac  by  Abraham  Lincoln.  We  went  to  Belle  Plains, 
where  the  review  took  place,  leaving  camp  in  the  morning 
and  returning  at  night,  making  a  march  of  eight  miles 
each  way.  It  was  my  belief  that  the  reviews  of  our  army 
resulted  generally  in  our  defeat,  because  the  Rebs  could 
always  know,  by  a  review,  that  we  were  going  to  make  a 
move,  and  the  consequence  was,  they  were  always  ready 
for  us. 

Our  next  move  was  the  battle  of  Chancellorsville.  We 
were  ordered  to  the  Rappahannock,  and,  when  we  arrived 
at  that  point,  we  found  some  Rebs,  the  first  we  met  on  the 
field  since  the  Occoquan  creek  affair. 

We  succeeded  in  crossing,  and,  with  Captain  J.  Q.  An 
derson  taking  the  advance,  we  had  but  little  trouble  in  driv 
ing  the  enemy  before  us.  But  the  advance  was  of  short 
duration;  we  ran  against  more  Johnny  Rebs  than  we  bar 
gained  for.  They  opened  a  piece  of  artillery  on  us,  and  it 
somewhat  put  a  check  to  our  advance.  But  the  coolness 
of  Captain  Anderson  was  remarkable.  He  kept  his  men  to 
gether  and  we  fell  back  in  good  order.  Recrossing  the  river, 
we  marched  to  United  States  Ford,  crossed,  and  marched  to 
the  old  Chancellorsville  House,  on  the  old  Franksburg  and 
Richmond  Plank  Road.  We  counter-marched  back,  and 
were  not  away  from  the  road  an  hour  until  the  Rebs  took 
possession  of  the  road  and  drove  in  the  pickets.  The  in 
fantry  was  brought  up  during  the  night,  and  crossed  the 
river.  On  the  morning  of  April  3Oth,  the  fight  commenced, 
and  continued  until  May  2d.  We  were  ordered  to  the  front 
on  the  evening  of  April  3Oth.  The  greater  part  of  the  cav 
alry  corps  was  away  under  General  Stoneman,  on  his  fa 
mous  raid,  at  the  time,  leaving  but  three  or  four  cavalry 
regiments  with  the  army — the  Sixth  New  York,  Eighth  and 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

THE  GETTYSBURG  CAMPAIGN. 

After  the  hard  fought  battle  of  Chancellorsville  under 
old  Joe  Hooker  (Fighting  Joe,  as  he  was  called),  our  regi 
ment  arrived  in  camp  near  Falmouth,  May  15,  1863.  But 
we  came  back  defeated.  Our  regiment  lost  a  number  of 

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ITINERARY   OF  THE   REGIMENT 

her  gallant  men,  this  being  our  first  general  engagement 
since  entering  the  service.  The  commanding  general  be 
stowed  some  honors  on  us  for  the  gallantry  of  the  regi 
ment  in  a  general  order,  of  which  I  will  speak  hereafter. 

We  broke  camp  again  about  June  4th,  and  marched  to 
Catlett's  Station,  on  the  Alexandria  and  Richmond  Railroad. 
After  arriving  at  this  point,  we  went  on  picket  duty,  and,,  on 
the  morning  of  the  8th,  we  were  again  facing  the  enemy. 
A  general  engagement  was  now  brought  on  with  the  Rebel 
cavalry.  We  fought  all  day  at  Beverly  Ford,  on  the  Rappa- 
hannock  river.  On  the  evening  of  the  9th  we  marched  back 
to  Catlett's  Station,  where  we  remained  on  picket  duty 
until  the  I5th,  when  we  took  up  our  line  of  march  and 
halted  at  the  Bull  Run  battle  ground  made  famous  the 
first  year  of  the  war.  We  then  continued  on  to  a  place 
called  Haymarket,  where  we  went  on  picket  duty.  We  left 
there  the  night  of  the  iQth  of  June  and  fell  back  to  Aldie. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2Oth,  the  fight  of  Aldie  com 
menced.  Perhaps  some  of  my  old  comrades,  when  reading 
this,  will  recollect  when  the  old  Seventeenth  went  into  the 
engagement.  The  Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry  and  Third  Indi 
ana  were  fighting  hard  in  an  open  field,  enclosed  by  a  very 
high  stone  fence,  which  was  common  in  Virginia.  We 
were  ordered  to  their  support.  The  opening  or  gap  in  the 
fence  was  quite  narrow,  and  we  went  in  on  a  trot  by  fours. 
The  other  two  regiments  were  fighting  hard.  The  Rebs 
had  three  pieces  of  artillery  playing  on  them.  When  we 
had  the  order  given  by  the  colonel,  "By  fours  into  line," 
the  Rebs  opened  some  artillery  on  us,  wounding  and  killing 
a  number  of  our  boys.  It  was  here  that  John  Brooks,  of 
Industry  township,  lost  his  leg.  Our  colonel  being  a  Regu 
lar  officer,  kept  quite  cool.  After  we  dismounted  we  were 
ordered  forward,  which  we  did  with  a  will;  and  never  will 
we  forget  how  we  drove  the  Rebs  from  the  field  (when  the 
Eighth  Illinois  and  the  old  Seventeenth  from  the  Iron  Bri 
gade  were  together  in  an  engagement  they  generally .  came 
out  victorious).  The  field  was  literally  covered  with  dead 
and  wounded — our  Spencer  rifles  never  failed  us.  We  lay 
on  the  field  for  the  night,  and,  in  the  morning,  commenced 

328 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

an  advance  on  the  retreating  enemy.  We  fought  them 
nearly  all  morning  at  Snicker's  Gap,  and,  in  the  after  part 
of  the  day,  we  engaged  them  at  Upperville. 

We  now  returned  to  Aldie  and  made  that  our  stopping 
place  for  three  days,  doing  picket  duty.  We  then  again 
took  up  our  line  of  march  for  the  Potomac  river,  which  we 
reached  without  any  further  fighting.  Crossing  over  the 
river  we  were  in  Maryland,  where  we  learned  that  General 
Lee  was  marching  into  our  native  state.  We  continued  on 
until  the  last  day  of  June,  when  we  reached  Gettysburg,  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  we  shall  never  forget  the  reception  re 
ceived  on  entering  the  town,  from  the  citizens.  Our  band 
struck  up  one  of  the  national  airs,  while  the  citizens  cheered 
us  on  with  a  will,  and  helped  us  to  pies  and  cakes,  which 
they  could  hand  to  us  as  we  passed  through.  Our  brigade 
was  the  first  of  the  Yankees  that  had  passed  through  their 
town  since  the  Rebs  passed  on  their  way  to  Harrisburg  (as 
they  said)  two  days  before. 

We  went  into  camp  near  Seminary  Hill.  Our 
commanding  officer,  General  Buford,  commanding  the 
First  Cavalry  Division,  ordered  that  our  regiment 
should  advance  on  the  different  roads  leading  out 
from  the  town,  to  ascertain  the  whereabouts  of  the  Johnny 
Rebs.  Lieutenant  John  Swaney  had  command  of  Company 
A,  which  was  placed  on  the  road  leading  to  Harrisburg. 
We  had  gone  about  three  miles  when  we  met  the  enemy's 
advance  guard  coming  toward  Gettysburg.  David 
Niblo,  and  Mowery,  of  Company  A,  were  our  advance 
guard.  We  captured  one  of  the  Rebs,  the  other  escaped. 
We  continued  on  about  half  a  mile,  when  we  could  see  the 
Rebs  forming  into  column  and  getting  position  to  await  an 
attack  from  us;  but  we  returned  with  our  squadron  to  the 
command  in  haste,  and  reported  our  discoveries.  The  com 
manding  officer  now  ordered  Captain  H.  M.  Donehoo,  of 
Beaver,  who  had  command  of  Company  B,  to  form  a  picket 
line  along  the  Harrisburg  road,  and  other  lines  to  be  formed. 
We  rested  in  that  position  for  the  night. 

On  the  morning  of  July  ist,  the  Rebs  made  an  advance, 
drove  in  our  pickets  under  Captain  H.  M.  Donehoo,  of  the 

329 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

Seventeenth  Cavalry,  which  was,  you  might  say,  the  open 
ing  of  the  Gettysburg  battle — a  battle  that  will  ever  be  re 
membered,  one  that  turned  the  tide  of  war  in  favor  of  the 
Union  cause.  After  Donehoo  was  fired  on,  the  command 
was  ordered  to  mount  and  repair  to  Seminary  Hill.  Our 
revolvers  were  recapped  and  carbines  loaded,  and  in  about 
thirty  minutes  the  Rebs  were  pouring  in  on  all  sides  of  us. 

The  fighting  now  commenced  in  earnest,  but  they  got  too 
many  for  us  and  we  were  compelled  to  dismount  and  use 
the  stone  fence  for  breastworks,  which  we  did  with  telling 
effect,  until  we  were  relieved  by  the  coming  up  of  the  First 
Army  Corps  under  the  gallant  General  Reynolds  (who  was 
afterwards  killed).  We  were  now  ordered  to  the  right  of 
the  town,  and  fought  there  for  some  time,  mounted  and 
dismounted,  and  quite  a  squad  of  us  got  into  an  old  brick 
church  and  fired  from  the  windows  for  a  short  time.  We 
then  returned  to  our  horses,  remounted  and  fell  back 
through  the  town,  the  Rebs  following  us  up  and  taking 
possession  of  the  town. 

We  were  taken  around  to  the  left,  and  took  up  position 
in  the  famous  Peach  Orchard,  where  we  fought  until  we 
were  flanked  and  compelled  to  fall  back.  While  we  were 
fighting  dismounted,  General  Custer  was  fighting  his  bri 
gade  mounted.  We  returned  and  fought  at  different 
points  all  day,  and  at  night  we  were  again  on  picket. 

The  enemy  met  with  such  severe  losses  on  the  3d  that  it 
caused  a  retreat  of  the  whole  rebel  army  in  the  direction  of 
the  Potomac  river.  We  marched  to  Boonesborough,  and 
there  fought  on  the  8th,  gth  and  loth  with  the  retreating 
enemy.  On  the  nth  of  July  we  marched  to  Bakerstown, 
and  there  went  on  picket,  and  so  remained  until  the  I4th, 
when  we  left,  marched  about  two  miles,  found  the  Rebs, 
and  fought  them  until  they  reached  the  river  at  Falling 
Waters,  on  the  Potomac.  We  had  quite  a  little  brush  with 
them  at  this  point.  After  the  Rebs  crossed  the  river  we 
went  back  to  Bakerstown,  where  we  remained  until  the  I5th 
of  July,  when  we  again  took  up  our  line  of  march,  marched 
to  the  Potomac  at  a  point  opposite  Harper's  Ferry,  con 
tinued  down  the  Potomac  about  twelve  miles,  and  crossed 

330 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

the  river  at  Berlin.  On  the  i6th  of  July  we  went  into  camp 
at  Peters'  Mills,  in  West  Virginia.  On  the  i8th  we  march 
ed  to  Lovettsville. 

The  following  day  we  marched  to  Snicker's  Gap,  a  dis 
tance  of  twenty-five  miles  from  Lovettsville.  Continuing 
our  march  on  the  2Oth,  we  marched  about  twenty  miles  that 
day;  on  the  2ist  we  halted  at  Salem  for  the  night;  on  the 
22d,  marched  about  eight  miles,  and  here  went  on  picket 
duty.  On  the  23d  we  marched  to  Barker's  Cross  Roads, 
remaining  there  on  picket  duty  until  the  26th.  Our  next 
place  to  halt  was  at  Warrentown.  Here  Lieutenant  P.  A. 
English  took  sick,  and  was  sent  to  Washington  City  to  the 
Lincoln  Hospital.  About  the  27th  of  July  the  regiment  en 
camped  near  the  Rappahannock  river. 

On  the  29th  I  rode  from  Washington  to  where  the  regi 
ment  was  encamped,  a  distance  of  twenty  miles,  and  re 
turned  the  same  day.  I  then  went  with  Lieutenant  English 
to  Washington.  The  regiment  crossed  the  Rappahannock 
river  and  encamped  at  Stevensburg,  and  here  did  picket  duty 
for  a  month.  I  remained  with  Lieutenant  English  at  the 
hospital  until  he  was  able  to  be  removed,  when  we  got  leave 
of  absence  and  came  home  to  the  county  of  Beaver,  and 
were  there  until  about  the  ist  of  September,  when  we  re 
turned  to  the  command.  We  found  them  at  Stevensburg, 
Va.,  five  miles  from  Culpepper  C.  H.  The  command  was 
doing  picket  duty  on  the  Rapidan  river,  where  it  remained 
until  the  loth  of  September. 

It  was  quite  an  interesting  matter  to  do  picket  duty  at 
this  point.  The  Rebs  would  meet  us  half  way  in  the  river, 
when  we  would  exchange  papers  and  give  them  coffee  for 
tobacco.  One  of  our  number,  Mr.  John  Wilkinson,  at 
tempted  to  cross  the  ford,  and  the  horse  with  himself  got  in 
deep  water,  and  would  have  drowned  had  it  not  been  that 
some  of  the  Rebs  came  to  his  assistance.  About  the  nth  of 
September  the  enemy  crossed  in  force  and  drove  us  back, 
our  regiment  contesting  every  inch  of  the  ground  until  we 
reached  Culpepper  C.  H.,  where  the  Eighth  Illinois,  Third 
Indiana  and  Ninth  New  York  were  brought  out  and  formed 
into  line  behind  a  hill  to  await  the  coming  of  the  advancing 

331 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

enemy.  With  drawn  sabres  the  boys  in  blue  charged,  and 
then  we  had  quite  a  fight.  The  Sixth  New  York  and  Sev 
enteenth  Pennsylvania  were  posted  in  a  strip  of  woods  with 
drawn  sabres,  ready  for  a  charge.  When  they  came  up,  we 
charged,  and  held  them  until  the  other  commands  got  over 
a  small  stream.  We  now  returned  our  sabres  to  their 
scabbards,  and  used  our  revolvers  effectually,  but  the 
enemy  being  too  strong  for  us,  pressed  us  back  to  Brandy 
Station  (on  the  railroad  leading  from  Alexandria  to  Rich 
mond,  Va.),  where  we  made  a  stand  and  had  quite  a  brush 
with  them ;  but  they  were  too  many  for  us,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  fall  back  to  the  Rappahannock  river  and  cross 
under  cover  of  artillery.  After  crossing  went  into  camp 
for  the  night. 

BRANDY  STATION. 

We  were  at  Brandy  Station  on  the  nth  of  September, 
1863,  where  we  made  a  final  stand.  Our  regiment  was 
ordered  to  the  support  of  a  battery  of  light  artillery,  and 
we  kept  the  position  until  the  Rebels  came  up  within  two 
hundred  yards  of  us,  marching  in  a  solid  column,  shooting 
down  a  number  of  our  horses  and  wounding  some  of  our 
men.  The  battery  we  were  supporting  kept  up  a  continual 
firing  of  shell  into  the  enemy's  ranks,  to  keep  them  back 
until  the  command  could  get  over  the  river  (we  were  about 
three  miles  from  the  Rappahannock).  At  last  we  received 
orders  to  fall  back,  the  battery  taking  the  lead  and  the 
Seventeenth  bringing  up  the  rear. 

When  we  reached  the  river  a  battery  was  placed  on  the 
opposite  side,  in  order  to  check  the  Rebs  until  we  could  get 
over,  which  we  did  in  good  order,  and  then  marched  about 
three  miles  back  and  went  into  camp  for  the  night.  On 
the  following  morning  our  command  recrossed  the  Rappa 
hannock  river  and  engaged  the  enemy  in  another  fight,  but 
did  not  let  them  drive  us  back.  We  took  the  other  side  of 
the  fence  this  time — we  drove  them  at  what  we  called  a 
"skedaddle,"  until  they  reached  Culpepper  Court  House. 
We  then  marched  back  to  the  river  and  crossed,  and  went 
into  camp.  On  the  I3th  we  marched  all  day;  that  night  we 

332 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

went  on  picket.  On  the  I4th  marched  all  day,  and  at  night 
lay  in  line  of  battle  at  Brentsville. 

On  the  1 5th  we  marched  until  dinner  time,  when  we 
found  the  enemy  again  and  had  another  brush  with  them; 
fought  until  after  night.  On  the  i6th  we  marched  all  day; 
that  night  we  went  into  camp.  On  the  i/th  we  were  on 
picket  duty  all  day.  On  the  i8th  marched  to  Fairfax  Court 
House;  took  a  short  rest  here.  On  the  iQth  we  retraced 
our  steps  to  Haymarket.  On  the  2Oth  we  marched  and 
passed  through  Thoroughfare  Gap  (in  the  Blue  Ridge 
mountain)  and  went  into  camp.  On  the  2ist  we  marched 
to  Warrentown  and  encamped;  left  this  place  on  the  23d, 
marched  about  ten  miles  and  encamped.  On  the  24th  fell 
back  to  Warrentown.  On  the  26th  went  on  picket  duty  at 
Kelley's  Ford,  on  the  Rappahannock ;  the  same  day  the 
Rebs  cut  us  off  from  the  rest  of  the  command,  and  attacked 
the  army  at  Bealton  Station. 

We  marched  about  ten  miles  and  joined  the  army  at 
Bealton  Station.  We  laid  in  camp  on  the  27th  and  28th; 
on  the  29th  we  encamped  five  miles  from  Bealton  and  did 
picket  duty.  We  laid  in  camp  until  the  6th  of  October, 
when  we  moved  about  three  miles  farther  to  the  front. 

On  the  7th  we  marched  to  Sulphur  Springs  and  en 
camped.  Here  John  English,  Com.  Sergt.  of  the  regiment, 
was  taken  prisoner  while  out  foraging.  On  the  8th  we 
crossed  the  Rappahannock  river  at  Sulphur  Springs,  but 
did  not  find  any  of  the  Rebs.  On  the  9th  we  marched  to 
Rappahannock  Station,  and  went  into  camp  for  the  night. 
On  the  loth  we  recrossed  the  river,  found  the  enemy,  drove 
them  back  to  Culpepper  Court  House,  and  went  into  camp 
for  the  night.  The  next  morning  we  attacked  the  Rebs. 
Our  regiment  took  the  advance  and  charged  through  Cul 
pepper  with  drawn  sabres,  and  drove  the  Rebs  before  us 
through  the  town. 

After  this  fight  we  went  into  camp  and  laid  until  the  25th 
of  October  at  Culpepper  C.  H.  On  the  26th  we  broke 
camp  and  marched  a  very  short  distance,  when  we  found 
the  Rebs  in  force,  drove  them  back  to  the  Rapidan  river, 
and  fought  them  at  Ely's  Ford ;  and  that  night  the  infantry 

333 

22— 17th  R. 


ITINERARY   OF  THE  REGIMENT 

was  brought  up  and  crossed  the  river,  whilst  our  cavalry 
was  engaged  fighting  the  Reb  infantry  all  day.  On  the  2Qth 
fell  back,  went  into  camp,  and  did  picket  duty  until  about 
the  8th  of  November,  when  we  marched  to  Ricketsville, 
where  we  had  quite  a  fight  with  the  Rebs.  Returned  to 
camp  and  did  picket  duty  until  the  last  of  November,  when 
we  broke  camp  and  engaged  the  enemy  at  Mine  Run.  On 
the  ist  of  December  we  went  back  to  our  old  camp  at  Cul- 
pepper. 

KILPATRICK'S  RAID. 

On  the  27th  of  February,  1864,  at  Stevensburg,  Va.,  a 
selection  of  ten  men  from  each  company  was  detailed,  and 
ordered  to  report  at  General  Kilpatrick's  headquarters, 
with  four  officers  from  the  regiment,  and,  I  believe,  a  like 
number  from  the  different  regiments  throughout  the  cav 
alry  corps.  Captain  Kurtz,  Lieutenant  P.  A.  English,  Lieu 
tenant  Reinhold  and  Captain  Fitzgerald  were  the  officers 
from  the  Seventeenth.  We  were  prompt  in  reporting  to 
headquarters,  where  we  laid  all  the  day  of  February  28th. 
Rations  were  drawn  for  six  days'  march,  none  of  us  know 
ing  where  we  were  to  go. 

But  we  were  not  left  long  in  suspense,  for  we  left  on  our 
raid  on  the  night  of  the  28th;  started  about  twelve  o'clock, 
and  it  was  as  dark  as  pitch.  The  balance  of  the  cavalry 
remained  with  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The  first 
knowledge  we  had  of  where  we  were  going  was  when  we 
found  ourselves  crossing  the  famous  Rapidan  river  at 
Ely's  Ford.  After  crossing,  we  marched  rapidly  until  day 
light,  when  a  short  halt  was  made  in  order  to  let  the  com 
mand  close  up.  We  were  wanting  our  coffee  about  this 
time,  but  our  orders  were  strictly  against  making  any  fires. 
We  continued  our  march  until  about  2  p.  m.,  when  we  halted 
long  enough  to  feed  our  horses  (but  no  cooking  of  coffee 
as  yet).  As  soon  as  the  horses  had  eaten  their  oats  we  were 
off  again,  at  a  rapid  march. 

We  had  seen  no  Rebs  all  day,  but  were  now  watching  in 
every  direction  for  them,  as  it  was  getting  dark.  So,  about 
nine  o'clock  we  were  ordered  to  prepare  to  charge.  We  con 
tinued  on  a  short  distance,  when  we  made  a  charge  on  Bea- 

334 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

ver  Dam  Station,  where  we  found  a  few  Rebs,  with  one  loco 
motive  and  some  cars,  which  we  burned  with  the  station. 
Everything  about  or  near  the  station  was  burned  and  de 
stroyed.  We  continued  our  march  about  half  a  mile,  when  we 
halted,  built  fires  and  made  our  coffee.  It  was  about  mid 
night.  After  getting  our  supper,  the  command  was  divided 
into  three  columns — the  main  column  to  march  under  com 
mand  of  General  Kilpatrick(or  as  we  called  him,  "Kill-cav 
alry"),  on  the  main  road  leading  to  Richmond.  The  second 
column  under  Colonel  Dahlgren  was  to  march  direct 
through  Prince  William  and  King  William  counties,  and 
join  General  Kilpatrick  in  front  of  Richmond.  But  I  am 
sorry  to  say  it  was  the  last  march  for  the  colonel.  The 
Rebs  were  too  strong  for  his  little  command,  and  the  colonel 
and  quite  a  number  of  his  brave  followers  were  slain,  whilst 
the  men  not  killed  were  taken  prisoners.  Major  Hall,  an 
officer  of  the  Sixth  New  York  Cavalry,  was  in  command  of 
the  third  column,  this  being  the  command  to  which  the 
men  from  the  old  Seventeenth  were  attached. 

We  were  ordered  to  march  on  to  Hanover  Junction,  and 
burn  the  bridge  at  that  point.  It  now  commenced  raining, 
and  was  as  dark  as  Egypt.  We  were  a  long  way  into  the 
enemy's  country,  and  had  no  time  to  lose.  The  road  we 
were  marching  on  was  very  narrow,  and  the  night  dark. 
Your  humble  servant  was  one  of  the  number  who  was  on 
the  advance  guard.  We  were  soon  facing  the  enemy ;  they 
were  so  close  we  could  hear  them  talking.  A  halt  was  in 
order,  so  we  reported  our  discoveries  to  Major  Hall.  He 
ordered  us  to  return  and  find  out  what  was  in  our  front. 
We  proceeded  on,  and  received  a  volley  from  the  Reb  guns, 
but  fortunately  they  did  no  harm.  After  firing  they  fell 
back  on  the  double  quick.  The  command  proceeded  on 
until  about  three  o'clock  in  the  morning.  It  was  so  dark 
you  could  scarcely  see  the  file  ahead  of  you.  We  were  sur 
prised  when  we  found  that  the  enemy  had  built  a  barricade 
in  front  of  us — on  the  road — and  had  us  completely  en 
trapped,  the  road  running  through  a  thick  wood,  a  high 
fence  on  one  side  and  the  woods  on  the  other. 

335 


ITINERARY   OF  THE  REGIMENT 

We  marched  within  ten  feet  of  the  barricade,  and  the 
Rebs  never  halted  us.  They  then  opened  fire,  having  about 
twenty-five  men  behind  the  works.  The  fire  from  their  guns 
made  such  a  bright  light  that  we  could  see  them  in  their 
position.  There  were  only  ten  of  us  in  front.  The  Rebs 
only  shot  two  of  our  men.  One  man  out  of  Company  G 
was  shot  in  the  arm,  which  had  to  be  amputated  the  follow 
ing  day;  the  other  man  was  shot  through  the  breast,  and 
lived  only  two  hours.  There  were  ten  men  between  us  and 
the  column,  to  support  us  if  in  trouble,  and  they  came  up  on 
the  double  quick,  under  command  of  Lieutenant  P.  A.  Eng 
lish,  of  Company  A.  We  succeeded  in  capturing  every 
Reb,  not  letting  one  escape  to  give  the  alarm  to  the  awaiting 
Rebs,  who  were  in  force  farther  on. 

We  were  now  ordered  to  advance,  which  we  did.  After  go 
ing  about  four  miles  we  could  hear  very  distinctly  the  enemy 
in  our  front.  We  came  to  a  halt  and  reported  to  Major  Hall, 
who  commanded  us  to  deploy  as  skirmishers  and  lay  until 
daylight,  which  was  not  long.  It  was  very  fortunate  for 
us  that  we  did  so,  for  this  was  in  a  long  skirt  of  woods, 
and  in  an  open  field  the  enemy  had  six  pieces  of  artillery 
awaiting  our  coming.  After  discovering  what  we  had  to 
contend  with,  we  immediately  fell  back  and  marched  to  the 
road  that  General  Kilpatrick  was  marching  over.  After 
marching  all  day  of  the  29th,  we  again  struck  the  railroad 
and  took  possession  of  a  locomotive  and  some  cars.  After 
burning  them,  there  was  a  man  came  up  to  us.  When  asked 
by  Major  Hall  if  he  had  seen  any  Yanks  pass  through  this 
way,  he  replied  that  there  had  been  a  column  passed  up 
about  three  hours  before. 

This  was  glorious  news  for  us,  to  know  we  were  so  near 
our  comrades,  for  it  was  getting  rather  warm  for  us  in  that 
neighborhood.  The  Rebs  had  by  this  time  concentrated 
their  forces  on  all  the  different  roads,  in  order  to  head  us 
off,  if  possible,  and  capture  us.  After  leaving  the  railroad 
we  had  gone  but  a  short  distance  when  they  attacked  us. 
We  went  on  the  double  quick  until  we  joined  Kilpatrick, 
who  was  fighting  the  enemy  at  a  place  called  Yellow  Tav 
ern,  five  miles  from  Richmond.  We  were  here  until  after 

336 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

dark,  when  we  were  ordered  to  advance;  and  you  may  be 
lieve  we  thought  we  were  getting  into  rather  close  quarters 
— only  five  miles  from  the  Reb  capital!  We  continued  on 
until  within  two  miles  of  Richmond.  We  had  a  strong 
advance  out,  and  could  see  the  lights  burning  and  hear  the 
bells  ringing  and  whistles  blowing  throughout  the  city.  It 
appeared  that  they  were  greatly  alarmed.  We  were  ex 
pecting  every  moment  to  be  ordered  to  charge  into  the  city. 
We  were  waiting  anxiously  for  General  Butler  to  come  in 
on  the  other  side  of  the  city  with  the  Army  of  the  James. 
Had  General  Butler  made  the  advance  with  us  there  is  no 
doubt  but  we  would  have  taken  possession  of  the  capital 
on  this  famous  cavalry  raid;  but  he  failed  to  come  to  our 
support. 

On  the  morning  of  March  ist,  we  started  on  the  advance 
guard  until  the  whole  column  had  passed  around  to  the  left 
of  Richmond,  and  encamped  on  the  old  battle  field  at  Fair 
Oaks  for  the  night.  We  had  a  strong  picket  out.  About 
two  o'clock  in  the  morning  the  Rebs  opened  guns  and 
charged  at  the  same  time.  Kilpatrick  was  not  caught  nap 
ping.  The  command  was  soon  mounted,  and  advanced 
double  quick  in  the  direction  of  Richmond,  till  we  struck 
the  Yorktown  Road.  Marched  down  this  road  until  near 
day.  We  halted  and  waited  until  daylight.  We  were  not 
long  here  before  the  Rebs  again  appeared  on  the  scene  of 
action,  this  being  on  the  2d  of  March. 

We  put  out  a  skirmish  line,  set  three  pieces  of  artillery, 
and  opened  fire  on  them.  Fell  back  about  three  miles  and 
opened  three  pieces  again.  We  kept  this  up  during  the  day, 
until  we  were  quite  a  distance  from  the  city.  When  night 
came  we  were  on  the  Pamunkey  river,  where  we  halted  un 
til  morning.  On  the  3d  we  marched  all  day ;  reached  White 
House  Landing  in  the  evening,  and  were  there  all  night. 
Next  morning  we  took  up  our  line  of  march  and  marched 
within  five  miles  of  Williamsburg,  where  we  laid  all  night. 
Next  morning  we  marched  through  Williamsburg,  reached 
Yorktown  about  dinner  time  and  encamped  that  night  in  the 
famous  Peach  Orchard,  where  McClellan  had  his  hard 
fighting.  Laid  there  all  day.  On  the  night  of  the  6th  a 

337 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

portion  of  the  command  went  to  the  assistance  of  General 
Butler,  near  Fortress  Monroe,  marching  all  night.  The  n^xt 
day  they  were  sent  back  on  a  boat.  We  were  in  camp  on  the 
7th  and  8th  in  the  Peach  Orchard.  On  the  Qth  of  March, 
we  crossed  the  James  river  and  went  into  camp  about  one 
mile  from  Gloucester  Point,  and  were  here  two  days  and 
nights.  On  the  nth  of  March  we  embarked  on  one  of  the 
steamers  and  were  taken  back  to  Washington  City. 

After  getting  off  the  boat,  and  all  mounted  who  were 
able  to  march,  we  took  up  our  line  of  march  to  Fairfax  C. 
H.,  where  we  encamped  for  the  night.  On  the  i4th  we 
marched  to  Catlett's  Station,  and  were  here  over  night.  Next 
day  marched  to  Culpepper  C.  H.,  making  the  raid  from 
February  27th  to  March  I5th,  and  being  in  the  saddle  two- 
thirds  of  the  time.  Those  who  were  never  on  a  cavalry 
raid  know  little  of  the  hardships  men  have  to  endure.  We 
were  never  as  near  worn  out  during  our  time  in  the  service 
as  we  were  on  this  raid.  We  lived  entirely  on  the  eatables 
we  gathered  up  through  the  country,  eating  things  we  would 
have  thrown  away  in  camp.  When  we  returned  to  our  old 
camp,  it  was  a  happy  meeting  with  our  comrades  who  were 
there.  We  enjoyed  our  night's  rest  hugely.  We  were  al 
lowed  two  weeks'  respite  before  being  again  put  on  duty. 
Thus  ended  the  Kilpatrick  Raid. 

THE  WILDERNESS  CAMPAIGN. 

About  the  27th  of  April  we  broke  camp  and  marched  to 
Madison  Court  House,  where  we  found  some  Rebs ;  charged 
the  town  and  drove  them  some  distance.  We  then  returned 
to  our  old  camp  at  Culpepper,  where  we  lay  until  about  the 
4th  of  May;  broke  camp  and  marched  about  three  miles, 
and  encamped  near  Stevensburgh.  On  the  morning  of  the 
5th  of  May  we  crossed  the  Rapidan  river,  after  having  a 
little  brush  with  the  Rebs,  and  marched  to  the  Chancellors- 
ville  battle  ground,  where  we  lay  all  day,  and  until  the  morn 
ing  of  the  6th.  While  there  a  number  of  us  took  a  stroll 
around  the  old  battle  ground,  where  we  fought  about  one 
year  previous  under  old  Joe  Hooker.  The  skeletons  of 
some  of  the  slain  at  the  Chancellorsville  fight  were  to  be 
seen  scattered  all  over  the  field. 

338 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

This  was  the  opening  of  the  Wilderness  fight.  On  the 
6th  of  May  we  were  on  the  skirmish  line  on  the  road  lead 
ing  to  Fredericksburg.  In  the  after  part  of  the  day  Com 
panies  A  and  G  were  sent  to  United  States  Ford  on  a  re- 
connoissance.  When  we  returned  the  regiment  was  en 
gaged  in  fighting,  which  continued  until  dark.  We  laid  on 
the  field  all  night.  On  the  morning  of  the  7th,  we  renewed 
the  fight,  fought  all  day  and  laid  on  the  field  that  night.  On 
the  8th  we  fought  until  about  n  o'clock  at  night.  In  this 
engagement  Captain  P.  A.  English,  Harper  Nevin  and 
Joseph  Potts,  of  Company  A,  were  wounded.  Potts  died  of 
his  wounds  the  next  day  after  being  sent  to  the  rear. 

We  were  relieved  by  the  Fifth  Army  Corps.  After  be 
ing  relieved  by  the  infantry  we  marched  within  four  miles 
of  Fredericksburg  and  encamped  for  the  night.  This  was 
our  first  fighting  under  General  Sheridan.  On  the  morning 
of  May  9th  we  continued  our  march  until  we  struck  Beaver 
Dam  Station,  where  we  burned  the  station  and  some  cars, 
and  captured  about  three  hundred  prisoners ;  also  destroyed 
about  three  miles  of  railroad  track.  We  encamped  for  the 
night,  and  on  the  loth  we  marched  to  the  South  Anna  river, 
where  we  made  a  halt  for  the  night.  On  the  nth  we 
marched  about  three  miles.  We  were  now  about  ten  miles 
from  Richmond.  We  continued  our  march  about  four 
miles  farther,  encountered  the  enemy  and  had  quite  a  brisk 
fight  in  the  afternoon.  We  were  now  within  two  miles  of 
Richmond,  at  daylight  of  the  I2th  of  May,  and  fought  the 
enemy  in  their  fortifications  all  forenoon.  In  the  afternoon 
our  command  marched  to  Games'  Mills,  where  we  went  into 
camp  for  the  night.  On  the  I3th  we  marched  to  Bottom 
Bridge,  on  the  Chickahominy,  where  we  encamped  for  the 
night.  On  the  I4th  we  continued  our  march  to  Harrison's 
Landing,  on  the  James  river,  where  we  laid  until  the  i6th, 
when  we  went  on  a  reconnoissance  and  found  the  Rebs 
about  five  miles  from  Harrison's  Landing.  We  had  quite  a 
little  brush  with  them,  capturing  one  lieutenant  and  five  pri 
vates,  and  returned  to  camp  in  the  evening  of  the  I7th. 
Marched  all  that  night  and  until  the  following  evening,  and 
halted  about  three  miles  from  White  House  Landing, 

339 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

where  we  encamped  and  remained  until  the  2ist  of  May. 
We  were  entirely  out  of  rations  for  ourselves  and  had  no 
forage  for  the  horses,  which  was  rather  a  bad  condition  to 
be  in;  and  were  some  distance  from  supplies.  On  the  2ist 
we  moved  camp  to  White  House  Landing,  and  on  the  night 
of  the  22d  we  crossed  the  Pamunkey  river;  on  the  23d  we 
marched  all  day  to  another  stream,  where  we  built  a  bridge 
and  crossed.  On  the  morning  of  the  24th,  we  left  the  river, 
marched  all  day  and  encamped  for  the  night,  being  twenty- 
seven  miles  from  Richmond  and  about  seventeen  miles  from 
Bowling  Green,  having  made  a  march  of  twenty-five  miles 
on  the  24th.  On  the  25th  we  marched  eighteen  miles  and 
joined  the  Potomac  Army  near  Bowling  Green,  under  com 
mand  of  Generals  Grant  and  Meade,  making  the  raid  in 
fifteen  days  from  the  time  we  left  the  army  in  the  Wilder 
ness,  this  being  our  second  raid  around  Richmond — once 
under  Kilpatrick,  and  once  under  Sheridan. 

On  the  26th  Company  A  was  detailed  to  go  with  the  en 
gineer  corps.  We  marched  all  day  and  part  of  the  night, 
and  lay  up  at  North  Anna  river  until  about  two  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  when  we  counter-marched  and  joined  the  regi 
ment  about  daylight  on  the  27th,  when  we  dismounted  and 
fought  all  day,  Company  A  capturing  twenty-two  prisoners 
and  a  number  of  horses.  Encamped  for  the  night  four 
miles  from  Hanover  Court  House.  On  the  28th  we  fought 
all  day,  and  had  one  man  wounded.  We  now  marched  back 
to  the  Pamunkey  river,  and  encamped  for  the  night.  On 
the  29th  we  advanced  about  four  miles  to  the  front. 

On  the  3<Dth  of  May,  1864,  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry  and  the  First  Cavalry  Division  lay  within  four 
miles  of  the  Pamunkey  river.  On  the  morning  of  that  date, 
the  Seventeenth  was  put  on  picket  duty  near  Old  House 
Tavern,  when  about  twenty-five  Rebs  made  their  appear 
ance  in  our  front.  We  immediately  deployed  a  skirmish 
line  and  opened  fire  on  them.  We  had  been  engaged  but  a 
few  minutes  when  we  discovered  that  the  enemy  had  quite 
a  reserve  in  waiting  for  us.  We  continued  to  advance  our 
line  and  fought  the  Rebs,  who  were  infantry,  until  about 
dark.  Our  loss  was  considerable,  although  we  drove  them 

340 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

about  three  miles  from  where  we  opened  the  fight.  John 
Anglun,  our  regimental  quartermaster,  was  killed,  with  a 
number  of  others  killed  and  wounded  in  the  regiment.  We 
encamped  near  Cold  Harbor  for  the  night. 

On  the  morning  of  the  3ist  of  May  we  advanced  on  the 
Cold  Harbor  road,  and  found  the  enemy  strongly  entrenched 
at  Cold  Harbor.  Here  we  dismounted  and  fought  on  foot. 
We  had  to  cross  an  open  field,  and  in  doing  so  the  regiment 
lost  a  number  in  killed  and  wounded.  I  made  a  very  nar 
row  escape  myself ;  had  quite  a  large  hole  shot  through  my 
hat  while  crossing  the  field.  This  engagement  was  one  of 
the  most  hotly  contested  fights  we  ever  had,  the  command 
losing  heavily;  but  not  any  way  daunted  we  held  our 
ground.  On  the  following  morning,  June  1st,  we  entered 
rifle  pits  and  stayed  there  until  the  next  morning,  when  we 
were  relieved  by  the  Sixth  Army  Corps.  And  now  came 
some  hard  fighting.  Our  command  fought  dismounted, 
while  General  Custer  fought  his  command  mounted.  The 
Iron  Brigade,  to  which  we  belonged,  marched  back  to  White 
House,  eight  miles  distant,  and  went  into  camp,  where  we 
were  supplied  with  three  days'  rations. 

On  the  morning  of  the  2d  of  June  we  marched  to  Bottom 
Bridge  and  encamped  for  the  night.  We  were  now  about 
twelve  miles  from  Richmond.  On  the  3d  of  June,  we  had 
quite  a  little  skirmish  with  the  Rebs  at  Bottom  Bridge.  On 
the  4th  of  June,  we  marched  to  Old  House  Tavern,  a  dis 
tance  of  fifteen  miles,  and  encamped  for  the  night.  On  the 
6th  we  marched  about  four  miles  and  encamped  at  New 
Castle  Ferry,  on  the  Pamunkey  river.  On  the  7th  we  con 
tinued  our  march  about  twenty  miles  and  encamped  for  the 
night.  On  the  8th  we  marched  to  a  station  called  Polecat, 
making  a  march  of  twenty-two  miles  that  day.  On  the  fol 
lowing  day,  we  marched  eighteen  miles  and  halted  for  the 
night  near  Beaver  Dam  Station.  We  continued  our  march 
on  the  loth,  making  about  thirty  miles  more.  This  day  we 
captured  forty-six  prisoners,  one  being  a  major.  I  have  in 
my  possession  the  spurs  the  major  had  on  when  captured. 
We  were  now  at  Orange  Court  House.  On  the  nth  of  June, 
we  had  quite  a  little  brush  with  the  Rebs  at  Trevillian  Sta- 

341 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

tion;  drove  them  about  three  miles.  On  the  I2th,  we  re 
newed  the  fight  and  fought  all  day  dismounted,  General 
Custer  at  the  same  time  fighting  mounted.  General  Custer 
at  one  time  was  completely  cut  off  from  us  and  surrounded 
by  the  Rebs.  He  made  one  of  his  gallant  sabre  charges  and 
cut  his  way  out.  The  cavalry  under  Custer  and  our  brigade 
lost  heavily.  The  colonel  commanding  the  Ninth  New 
York  regiment  was  killed  while  leading  his  regiment  in  a 
sabre  charge  for  the  purpose  of  opening  a  way  for  General 
Custer. 

Our  cavalry  fell  back  that  night  some  distance,  the  enemy 
being  most  too  many  for  us.  We  were  compelled  to  leave 
our  dead  in  the  hands  of  the  Rebs.  We  destroyed  a  num 
ber  of  miles  of  railroad  between  Richmond  and  Jordan's 
Mills.  On  the  I3th  of  June  we  marched  to  the  North  Anna 
river,  making  about  fifteen  miles.  On  the  1/j.th  we  marched 
ten  miles  and  encamped  at  Todd's  Tavern,  on  the  Franks- 
burg  road.  On  the  I5th  we  marched  about  eighteen  miles 
and  encamped  by  the  Poe  river.  We  continued  our  march 
the  following  day,  making  about  twenty  miles,  and  en 
camped  near  the  town  of  Bowling  Green,  Va.  Resumed  our 
march  the  next  day,  making  a  march  of  fifteen  miles,  when 
we  halted  for  the  night,  being  about  fifteen  miles  from 
King  and  Queen  Court  House,  and  eight  miles  from  White 
House  Landing.  On  the  i8th  marched  to  King  and  Queen 
C.  H.,  where  we  encamped  for  the  night.  On  the  iQth  we 
retraced  our  steps  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles  and  encamped 
at  Dunkirk  Landing.  On  the  2Oth  marched  eighteen  miles 
and  encamped  at  White  House  Landing.  On  the  2ist  we 
crossed  the  river  on  a  railroad  bridge  by  leading  the  horses, 
whilst  the  artillery  had  to  be  pulled  over  by  the  men. 

After  going  about  one  and  a  half  miles  from  the  Pamun- 
key  river  we  encountered  the  Rebs  and  fought  them  all  day ; 
drove  them  about  three  miles.  We  had  three  men  wounded 
and  two  killed  in  Company  A  (John  Martin  and  Joseph 
White  killed,  Fred  Marquet,  Walter  House  and  one  other 
wounded).  Eleven  men  were  wounded  and  six  killed  in  the 
regiment.  On  the  22d  marched  about  ten  miles  and  en- 

342 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

camped  for  the  night  by  the  Chickahominy  river,  at  Stone's 
Bridge.  We  remained  here  until  about  noon  of  the  23d, 
when  the  Rebs  attacked  our  picket  line,  which  opened  an 
other  fight  that  continued  until  five  p.  m.  The  Rebs,  get 
ting  a  little  more  than  they  expected,  fell  back,  leaving  us 
in  possession  of  the  field.  The  Sixth  New  York  lost  a  num 
ber  of  killed  and  wounded  in  this  engagement.  On  the  24th 
marched  to  Charles  City  Court  House,  where  the  Rebs  had 
whipped  General  Gregg's  cavalry  division.  Our  division 
was  immediately  sent  to  the  front.  It  was  about  ten  o'clock 
at  night.  We  laid  on  the  field  until  morning,  when  we 
turned  the  tide  the  other  way.  We  captured  a  number  of 
prisoners.  On  the  25th  marched  four  miles  and  encamped 
at  Wilcox's  Landing,  on  the  James  river,  where  we  rested 
until  the  28th  of  June,  when  we  crossed  the  James  and  lay 
in  camp  until  the  next  morning.  We  then  took  up  our  line 
of  march,  made  about  twelve  miles,  and  encamped  at  Prince 
George  Court  House.  On  the  3Oth  we  marched  ten  miles 
and  encamped  at  Black  river,  nine  miles  from  Petersburg. 

July  first  we  broke  camp,  marched  about  six  miles,  and 
went  into  camp  for  the  night;  continued  our  march,  on  the 
2d  of  July,  about  fifteen  miles,  and  encamped  at  Light 
House  Point,  on  the  James  river,  where  we  lay  until  the 
4th  of  July,  when  we  moved  about  three  miles  and  went  on 
picket  duty.  We  lay  here  until  about  the  26th  of  July,  when 
we  made  another  move.  We  marched  all  night,  crossed  the 
Appomatox,  and  on  the  morning  of  the  27th  we  crossed  the 
James  river,  and  laid  all  day  and  until  the  next  morning, 
which  was  the  28th  of  July,  1864.  We  now  opened  up  a 
fight  with  the  Rebs  at  Malvern  Hill.  Fought  all  day  and 
night  and  then  returned  to  the  other  side  of  the  James.  Left 
our  horses,  recrossed  the  river  again,  and  fought  on  foot; 
went  back  that  night,  about  twelve  o'clock,  mounted  our 
horses  and  marched  all  night  to  the  Appomatox  river,  and, 
on  the  3Oth  marched  out  to  the  left  of  Petersburg,  where 
we  laid  all  night.  On  the  3ist  marched  to  a  camp  near  City 
Point ;  laid  there  until  the  2d  of  August,  when  we  embarked 
on  board  a  vessel  for  Washington  City. 

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ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

SHENANDOAH  VALLEY  CAMPAIGN. 

The  boat  left  City  Point  on  the  morning  of  the  3d  of 
August,  and  arrived  in  Washington  City  on  the  evening  of 
the  5th.  Marched  through  the  city  on  the  evening  of  the 
6th,  about  dusk,  on  our  way  to  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  We 
went  out  as  far  as  Tannellytown ;  went  into  camp  for  the 
night;  continued  our  march  on  the  7th  as  far  as  Monocacy 
river  and  laid  up  for  the  night.  On  the  8th  we  marched  to 
Harper's  Ferry;  on  the  9th  crossed  the  Potomac  river  at 
Harper's  Ferry,  continued  our  march  about  six  miles,  and 
encamped  for  the  night.  On  the  loth  we  marched  twenty-five 
miles  and  encamped  at  Millwood,  in  the  valley.  On  the  nth 
fought  all  day  near  White  Post,  the  fighting  was  very  hard, 
the  ground  being  very  hotly  contested.  Company  A  suffered 
severely.  David  H.  Niblo  was  shot  through  the  body  dur 
ing  that  night;  David  Bruce,  shot  through  the  arm;  Oscar 
Bradley,  shot  in  the  hand;  David  Mercer,  shot  in  the 
stomach,  died  from  the  wound.  The  same  ball  that  killed 
Niblo,  passing  through  him,  struck  Mercer.  On  the  I2th 
we  marched  to  Old  Ford  Springs;  laid  there  about  four 
hours,  and  then  continued  the  march  to  Middletown,  where 
we  encamped  for  the  night. 

On  the  1 3th  we  marched  six  miles;  next  day,  about  four 
miles,  and  went  on  picket  at  Cedar  Springs,  two  miles  from 
Front  Royal,  on  the  Shenandoah  river.  On  the  i6th  the 
Rebs  attacked  us,  about  three  p.  m.  We  drove  them  back, 
capturing  three  battle  flags  and  four  hundred  prisoners; 
fought  until  after  dark.  Were  on  picket  duty  all  day  of  the 
1 7th  at  Old  Chapel  Church,  on  the  Berry ville  Pike.  Re 
mained  on  picket  until  the  2Oth  of  August. 

While  we  were  at  this  point  the  paymaster  came  out  to 
pay  us  off.  Colonel  Mosby,  the  bushwhacker,  made  a  dash 
on  the  army  train,  and  burned  a  number  of  wagons,  near 
Berryville,  but  did  not  succeed  in  getting  the  greenbacks,  al 
though  some  of  his  men  were  in  the  wagon  that  contained 
the  money.  On  the  2Oth  we  marched  to  the  point  where  Mos 
by  burned  the  wagons.  On  the  2ist  the  Rebs  made  an  at 
tack  on  us.  Finding  them  too  strong  for  us,  we  fell  back  to 
Charleston  and  went  into  camp.  During  this  engagement 

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ITINERARY   OF  THE  REGIMENT 

Brice  Ramsey,  of  Company  A,  received  a  slight  wound  in 
the  leg.  On  the  22d  we  marched  about  ten  miles  and  went 
on  picket  on  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  railroad,  four  miles 
from  Shepperdstown  and  eight  miles  from  Harper's  Ferry. 
Were  relieved  from  picket  duty  on  the  23d,  and  went  into 
camp  near  Shepperdstown. 

On  the  25th  we  fought  all  day  on  the  Winchester  Pike. 
John  McCullough  was  wounded;  Corporal  A.  Hartford, 
wounded  in  the  arm;  -  Waterhouse,  in  the  foot; 

Lieutenant  James  Potter  and  David  Stone,  killed  in  a  sabre 
charge.  Company  A  lost  heavily  in  men  and  horses  during 
the  charge.  Wre  were  ordered  to  open  up  a  way  between 
our  brigade  and  General  Custer,  the  Rebs  having  him  com 
pletely  cut  off  from  our  brigade.  Custer's  brigade,  during 
this  time  had  been  righting  desperately,  but  the  Rebs  had 
turned  their  whole  force  on  him,  which  caused  the  order 
for  the  Seventeenth  to  make  the  charge.  Lieutenant  Potter 
was  at  the  head  of  the  company  when  killed.  He  had  just 
given  the  order  to  draw  sabres,  when  he  was  shot.  Major 
Coe  Durland  had  his  horse  shot.  But  there  was  no  such 
thing  as  going  back.  We  were  again  ordered  forward. 
Captain  P.  A.  English  by  this  time  was  at  the  head  of  his 
company.  He  had  been  sent  on  other  duty  when  we  first 
went  in,  but  came  just  in  time  to  take  command. 

General  Torbert  stood  by  the  roadside  and  said,  "Boys, 
Custer  is  in  that  woods,  and  you  must  cut  your  way  to  him, 
and  help  him,"  and  the  order  was  given  to  forward.  We 
went  forward  and  did  cut  our  way  to  him,  and  found  his 
little  band  fighting  like  tigers,  as  they  always  fought.  I 
don't  think  there  was  a  man  in  his  command  but  what  loved 
him,  for  they  were  never  in  a  tight  place  but  what  he  was 
there  to  lead  them  and  share  the  dangers  with  them.  On 
the  26th  we  rested  all  day  near  Harper's  Ferry.  On  the 
following  day  we  went  on  picket  duty.  On  the  28th  we 
marched  up  the  Winchester  Pike,  found  the  Rebs  at  Smith- 
field,  fought  them,  driving  them  about  three  miles,  and  then 
encamped.  Laid  in  camp  until  the  29th,  when  we  again 
opened  up  another  fight.  This  time  the  Rebs  drove  us  back 
about  four  miles.  After  fighting  all  day,  we  took  possession 

345 


ITINERARY   OF  THE  REGIMENT 

of  Smithfield.     The  next  morning  we  marched  back  as  far 
as  Berryville  and  went  into  camp. 

All  who  may  read  this  can  see  we  got  very  little  rest  after 
going  into  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  It  was  up  and  down 
the  valley  continually — we  would  drive  the  Rebs  one  day 
and  the  next  day  they  would  drive  us.  We  moved  camp 
on  the  2d  of  September  to  Ripley,  and  that  night  marched 
back  to  Berryville.  On  the  3d  we  marched  to  White  Post, 
and  lay  on  picket  all  night.  On  the  4th  the  enemy  got  in 
our  rear,  and  we  were  compelled  to  fall  back  to  near  Berry 
ville.  On  the  5th  we  marched  to  Smithfield  and  went  on 
picket  again.  On  the  6th  our  regiment  was  sent  out  on  a  re- 
connoissance.  After  going  about  four  miles  we  found  the 
Rebs  at  Opequon  river,  drove  in  their  pickets,  opened  up  a 
fight,  and  fought  about  two  hours,  when  we  received  rein 
forcements  and  drove  them  from  the  river.  Our  cavalry 
crossed  the  stream  and  fought  all  day,  and  then  recrossed  the 
river  again.  Company  A  was  left  to  guard  the  ford.  We  had 
some  hard  fighting;  remained  there  until  after  dark.  Michael 
Caler,  of  Company  A,  was  wounded  in  the  leg;  Captain 
Reinhold,  of  Company  E,  was  killed. 

On  the  8th  we  moved  to  Smithfield.  On  the  Qth  the  regi 
ment  went  on  a  scout  to  the  Opequon  river.  Company  A 
was  ordered  to  charge  the  ford  and  drive  the  Rebs  back, 
which  we  did  in  good  style,  driving  them  away  and  captur 
ing  fifteen  prisoners.  We  crossed  the  river,  drove  them  to 
Bunker  Hill,  and  then  went  on  picket  duty.  On  the  loth 
we  were  relieved  from  picket.  On  the  I3th  our  brigade 
went  out  to  reconnoiter.  The  I7th  we  were  ordered  to 
cross  the  Opequon  and  see  what  was  to  be  found.  We 
had  gone  but  a  short  distance  from  the  main  column  when 
we  found  the  Rebs  at  Bunker  Hill.  We  laid  on  the  Hill  a 
short  time  watching  them,  fired  a  few  shots  to  let  them 
know  we  were  still  haunting  them,  and  then  returned  to 
the  main  column.  On  the  I4th  we  were  put  on  picket  on  the 
Opequon  river;  were  relieved  from  picket  on  the  i5th,  and 
went  to  camp.  On  the  i8th  marched  back  to  General  Sheri 
dan's  headquarters  and  drew  rations.  On  the  morning  of 

346 


ITINERARY  OF  THE   REGIMENT 

the  i pth,  broke  camp  about  three  a.  m.,  and  marched  to  the 
Opequon  river,  remaining  there  until  noon. 

At  noon  the  brigade  was  ordered  to  cross  the  river  to 
relieve  a  brigade  of  regulars.  After  going  about  one  mile, 
we  found  the  Rebs  and  opened  up  a  fight.  By  this  time  the 
three  cavalry  divisions  were  all  over  the  river  and  in  the  en 
gagement  (General  Custer's  Division,  General  Averill's 
Division,  and  the  First  Division,  of  which  we  formed  a 
part).  The  fight  became  general  and  lasted  all  afternoon. 
The  cavalry  divisions  made  a  juncture  on  the  Winchester 
Pike,  while  our  division  was  doing  the  hard  fighting.  Gen 
eral  Custer  was  held  back  to  make  a  charge,  but  we  all 
charged  together,  driving  the  Rebs  over  the  cleared  fields 
like  so  many  sheep.  The  cavalry  composed  the  right  wing 
of  our  army.  Our  infantry  was  engaged  on  our  left,  having 
the  Rebel  infantry  to  contend  with.  Our  driving  in  the 
Reb  cavalry  broke  the  enemy's  left,  and  the  consequence 
was  their  whole  line  had  to  give  way.  We  continued  to 
drive  them  until  after  they  had  passed  through  Winchester 
and  some  distance  beyond  the  town.  It  was  now  some  time 
after  night.  During  the  fight  we  captured  quite  a  number 
of  flags,  prisoners,  cannon,  etc.  Our  brigade  captured  four 
battle  flags  during  the  engagement. 

We  encamped  at  Winchester  that  night,  and  on  the  fol 
lowing  day,  as  the  command  was  ordered  to  the  front  to 
renew  the  engagement,  General  Sheridan  was  on  the  road 
side,  and  ordered  the  Seventeenth  out  of  the  column,  say 
ing  he  wanted  one  of  his  best  cavalry  regiments  to  report 
to  Colonel  Edwards  at  Winchester,  who  had  charge  of  the 
town.  I  will  just  say  here  that  we  were  now  getting  ourselves 
into  hard  work.  General  Sheridan  went  on  to  the  front,  driv 
ing  the  Rebs  up  the  valley,  and  we  were  left  to  keep  the  com 
munication  open  irom  the  front  to  Harper's  Ferry  and  Mar- 
tinsburg.  Wre  were  carrying  dispatches  daily  from  the  front 
to  the  rear  and  from  the  rear  to  the  front;  and  had  some 
fighting  almost  every  day  we  went  out.  We  lost  more  men 
doing  that  duty  than  we  would  have  lost  in  a  regular  engage 
ment.  We  had  to  march  from  forty  to  sixty  miles  with 
dispatches,  and  had  bushwhackers  all  along  the  line  watching 

347 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

for  us.  This  kind  of  duty  we  had  until  the  army  fell  back  to 
Winchester.  On  the  2ist  I  was  sent  out  with  ten  men  to 
Harper's  Ferry  with  a  dispatch,  while  the  rest  of  the  regi 
ment  was  taking  care  of  the  wounded  and  burying  the 
dead.  On  the  22d  I  was  ordered  back  to  Winchester,  and 
got  as  far  as  Charlestown,  when  I  learned  that  Colonel  Mos- 
by  had  driven  all  the  pickets  in.  I  was  ordered  by  the 
colonel  commanding  to  remain  there  all  night.  Had  I  gone 
on  with  my  men  we  would  all  have  been  killed  or  captured. 

The  next  day  the  infantry  at  Charlestown  was  ordered 
to  fall  back  to  Harper's  Ferry.  I  consulted  my  men  as  to 
what  would  be  best  for  us  to  do,  and  we  concluded  to  go 
through  to  Winchester,  or  die  doing  our  duty.  So  off  we 
went.  Knowing  the  road  pretty  well  I  traveled  the  pike 
part  of  the  way,  and  then  left  the  pike  and  marched  on  the 
dirt  road,  and  when  we  were  on  the  dirt  road,  Mosby  was  on 
the  pike,  and  captured  Brigadier  General  Duffee  and  his 
escort.  I  suppose  if  we  had  followed  the  pike  our  fate 
would  have  been  the  same  as  Duffee's.  My  orders  to  the 
men,  in  case  we  met  any  Rebs,  were  for  every  man  to  keep 
perfectly  cool  until  they  would  get  near  us,  and  then  every 
man  to  open  fire  at  the  signal  and  take  care  of  himself. 
But  we  were  very  fortunate,  getting  back  to  camp  all  O.  K. 

After  getting  to  camp  all  safe  with  the  dispatch,  I  was 
then  sent  to  the  front,  with  a  sergeant  and  ten  men  from 
Company  G,  but  they  failed  to  get  through.  The  sergeant 
was  captured  and  three  men  killed.  On  the  24th  of  Septem 
ber,  a  portion  of  the  regiment  was  sent  to  Harper's  Ferry 
with  some  refugees,  and  on  the  25th,  came  back  as  far  as 
Charlestown,  remained  all  night  (put  up  in  the  court  house 
where  John  Brown  was  tried)  and  got  back  to  Winchester 
on  the  26th.  We  remained  in  camp  until  the  3Oth,  when 
the  regiment  went  on  a  foraging  expedition.  October  ist 
CompanyA  was  ordered  out  on  a  scouting  expedition.  On  the 
2d  it  marched  from  Winchester  to  Martinsburg,  a  distance 
of  twenty-two  miles ;  and  on  the  3d,  marched  back  to  Win 
chester.  On  the  4th  and  5th  we  laid  in  camp;  on  the  6th, 
went  after  forage ;  on  the  7th  in  camp ;  on  the  8th,  went  to 
Martinsburg  with  a  lot  of  refugees ;  on  the  Qth,  returned  to 

348 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

Winchester  with  dispatches.  We  were  in  camp  until  the 
1 3th,  when  we  went  after  Colonel  Mosby;  returned  to  camp 
after  night  and  rested  until  the  i8th,  when  the  regiment 
went  after  forage.  On  the  iQth  the  fight  opened  up  at  Mid- 
dletown,  the  Rebs  losing  a  great  many  prisoners,  fifty-eight 
pieces  of  artillery  and  a  number  of  wagons.  On  the  2Oth 
we  went  after  straw  to  lay  the  wounded  on.  Laid  in  camp 
until  the  25th,  when  we  again  took  another  trip  after  Mosby. 

WINCHESTER. 

On  the  29th  an  order  was  issued  from  Colonel  Edwards' 
headquarters  for  one  sergeant  and  twenty  men  to  report  to 
his  headquarters,  with  twenty  of  the  best  horses  in  the  regi 
ment,  and  it  fell  to  my  lot  to  be  the  sergeant  to  command 
the  squad.  So  we  reported  to  Edwards'  headquarters  and 
received  our  orders.  I  was  to  report  myself  to  Major 
Young,  of  the  general  staff.  He  gave  me  old  Bob,  a  colored 
man,  who  was  to  be  our  guide.  This  little  trip  was  to  be 
around  and  into  the  rear  of  General  Early's  (Rebel)  army 
of  the  Shenandoah.  So  off  we  started,  it  being  a  short  time 
after  noon  on  the  29th.  We  marched  along  the  Romney 
Pike  to  within  four  miles  of  Pewtown,  and  stopped  over 
night ;  had  not  seen  any  of  the  enemy  yet. 

On  the  following  morning  we  continued  our  n\arch,  and 
after  getting  out  as  far  as  Cossen  river,  about  thirty  miles 
from  Winchester,  we  came  upon  some  Rebs,  and  captured 
three.  The  others  escaped.  But  here  we  had  some  fun. 
We  took  the  trail  of  a  party  and  followed  it  up  on  the 
mountain  and  down  the  opposite  side  into  a  deep  hollow  or 
hole  called  Hell's  Hole,  and  here  we  found  a  log  shanty  with 
four  horses  tied  to  the  side.  We  had  not  long  to  wait  until 
one  of  the  Rebs  made  his  appearance  on  the  outside,  and 
then  the  fun  commenced.  We  were  on  the  side  of  the 
mountain,  and  it  was  so  steep  that  we  had  to  dismount  and 
lead  our  horses.  We  opened  up  a  fight  and  had  it  quite 
lively  for  a  time.  We  finally  captured  the  Rebs  and  their 
horses  and  lost  three  of  our  own  horses,  as  we  could  not 
do  the  fighting  and  hold  the  horses  on  the  mountain.  One 
of  the  captured  party  had  a  very  fine  gun,  a  repeater  that 
shot  sixteen  times. 

349 

23— 17th   R. 


ITINERARY   OF  THE  REGIMENT 

After  getting  ready  to  retrace  our  steps  up  the  mountain, 
we  found  that  the  party  was  a  squad  of  Reb  guerillas,  and 
that  this  was  their  hiding  place.  We  crept  up  the  side  of 
the  mountain  with  our  prisoners,  leading  our  horses.  When 
we  reached  the  road  again  where  we  had  left  some  of  our 
party  to  guard  our  tracks  during  our  stay  down  the  moun 
tain,  they  had  captured  one  more  Reb.  It  was  now  about 
four  p.  m.  Here  we  left  the  Cossen  River  and  marched  until 
dark,  when  we  struck  the  pike  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain. 
We  now  followed  the  pike  up  the  mountain  side  again,  and 
reached  the  top  without  any  further  trouble.  But  after  go 
ing  down  about  half  way  on  the  other  side  we  were  attacked 
by  some  Rebs.  We  fought  them  until  after  night,  when 
they  fell  back  and  left  us  in  possession  of  the  field.  We 
killed  one  of  the  Reb  horses,  captured  the  rider,  and  found 
that  he  was  one  of  the  most  desperate  men  in  the  valley, 
the  leader  of  a  band  of  guerillas. 

He  turned  out  to  be  the  notorious  and  famous  Charley 
Seibert.  He  said,  when  his  horse  was  shot  it  threw  him  so 
hard  on  the  ground  he  could  not  recover  in  time  to  escape. 

We  continued  on  our  march  until  we  came  to  Old  Bill 
Russell's  Cross  Roads,  eighteen  miles  from  Winchester,  it 
being  twelve  o'clock  at  night.  We  were  then  about  four 
miles  from  the  Reb  army  and  eighteen  from  the  Yankee 
army.  I  posted  my  pickets,  and  in  less  than  twentv-five 
minutes  the  Rebs  were  on  us.  Fortunately  I  had  posted  two 
of  my  best  fighting  boys  on  the  outpost  (I  am  proud  to  say 
they  were  Beaver  county  boys),  and  they  had  with  them  the 
sixteen-shooter  that  we  had  captured  from  the  Rebs  that 
day.  They  held  the  post  until  I  got  to  them  with  more  men. 
We  finally  drove  them  off,  and  were  not  disturbed  any  more 
that  night.  In  the  morning  Mrs.  Russell  gave  us  a  very  good 
breakfast,  and  Old  Bill,  as  we  called  him,  gave  us  a  big 
drink  of  apple  jack.  We  now  started  off  for  camp,  and 
arrived  safe,  only  losing  three  horses  on  our  trip,  bringing 
in  with  us  twelve  horses,  nine  prisoners  and  one  sixteen- 
shooter  gun.  We  had  made  a  raid  clear  around  the  Reb 
army.  Our  raid  being  so  successful,  the  colonel  command 
ing  ordered  that  we  should  be  kept  from  regimental  duty; 

350 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

so  we  could  accompany  Captain  Young  almost  every  day 
or  night  on  a  raid,  and  capture  some  prisoners. 

The  regiment  in  the  meantime  was  busy  in  carrying  dis 
patches  to  and  from  Martinsburg.  On  the  4th  of  November 
the  regiment  went  with  General  Sheridan  to  the  Opequon 
river,  and  returned  on  the  night  of  the  5th.  On  the  6th, 
went  out  to  capture  twelve  Rebs,  and  returned  to  camp 
about  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  7th.  On  the  9th  three 
companies — Company  A  under  Captain  P.  A.  English, 
Company  B  under  Captain  D.  M.  Donehoo,  and  Company 
G  under  Captain  Kurts — marched  to  the  Opequon  river, 
captured  some  prisoners  and  returned  to  camp  on  the  loth. 
On  the  1 2th  the  regiment  was  sent  to  Berrysville,  charged 
into  the  town,  driving  the  Rebs  out,  and  came  back  to  camp 
that  night.  On  the  i6th,  the  regiment  was  ordered  on  an 
other  raid ;  returned  that  night.  Was  in  camp  until  the  24th 
of  November  when  the  command  went  to  Berrysville  and 
back. 

At  the  battle  of  Cedar  Creek,  which  took  place  October 
1 9th,  General  Sheridan  was  on  his  way  to  the  army  from 
Washington  City,  had  got  back  as  far  as  Winchester,  and 
was  at  Colonel  Edwards'  headquarters,  when  the  Rebs 
were  driving  his  army  back  (he  had  got  there  on  the  even 
ing  of  the  1 8th,  and  was  staying  over  night  at  Colonel  Ed 
wards').  At  daylight  on  the  morning  of  the  I9th  the  Gen 
eral  asked  for  an  escort  to  take  him  to  the  front,  and  part 
of  the  old  Seventeenth  was  ordered  to  escort  the  General 
on  his  famous  "twenty  miles  away"  ride.  But  we  were 
like  so  many  dogs  after  a  fox !  He  was  riding  his  famous 
black  horse,  and  we  were  strung  out  along  the  pike,  the 
fastest  horse  ahead ! 

November  27th  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry 
broke  camp  at  Winchester,  W.  Va.,  marched  four  miles 
out  on  the  Front  Royal  Pike,  and  halted  for  the  night.  On 
the  28th  the  cavalry  corps,  under  General  Torbert,  started 
on  a  raid  up  the  Luray  valley,  and  to  Gordonsville.  The 
roads  were  very  bad,  which  caused  our  raid  to  be  short. 
We  were  gone  four  or  five  days,  but  returned  to  camp  with 
a  number  of  horses,  cattle  and  plenty  of  provisions. 

351 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

I  will  just  say  here  that  on  the  27th  of  November,  I  was 
ordered  to  report  to  General  Sheridan's  headquarters,  and 
take  charge  of  his  scouts.  I  was  allowed  the  privilege  of 
selecting  some  of  my  scouts,  and  made  the  request  to  have 
four  men  from  my  company  detailed  with  me — men  who  I 
knew  would  do  their  duty  in  any  position  in  which  they 
might  be  placed.  Captain  Young,  one  of  Colonel  Edwards' 
staff,  and  who  had  previously  been  in  command  of  the 
scouts,  was  ordered  to  report  at  General  Sheridan's  head 
quarters  to  act  as  aide-de-camp  on  his  staff,  so  it  fell  to 
my  lot  to  remain  at  General  Sheridan's  headquarters,  in 
command  of  sixty-five  scouts,  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  regiment  was  moved  to  a  little  town  called  Lovetts- 
ville,  a  short  distance  below  Harper's  Ferry  and  about  two 
or  three  miles  back  from  the  Potomac  river,  opposite  Ber 
lin,  in  Maryland,  doing  picket  duty  there  until  about  De 
cember  22d,  when  it  was  ordered  to  report  to  General  Tor- 
bert,  and  went  with  the  First  Division  (to  which  we  be 
longed)  to  Gordonsville,  while  Custer,  with  his  command, 
went  to  Staunton.  Custer  was  gone  about  three  days,  and 
returned  to  camp  after  doing  great  damage  to  the  enemy. 
The  weather  was  very  hard  on  men  and  horses.  We  re 
mained  in  camp  until  in  February. 

From  the  time  I  took  command  of  the  scouts  up  to  this 
date  I  had  been  very  active.  I  was  obliged  to  keep  a  con 
tinual  watch  all  along  the  lines,  and  report  every  morning 
to  General  Sheridan  the  whereabouts  of  the  Rebs.  About 
the  ist  of  February,  1865,  we  sent  a  woman  to  Romney  to 
see  what  Gilmore  and  McNeal  were  doing.  She  returned 
on  the  4th  of  the  month,  and  I  reported  her  progress  to 
General  Sheridan.  I  was  then  ordered  to  take  thirty  men 
and  proceed  to  Romney,  a  distance  of  about  forty-five  miles. 
I  started  on  the  5th,  after  night  (the  snow  being  very  heavy 
on  the  ground),  and  found  Gilmore  at  Moorefield.  Cap 
tured  him  and  one  of  his  staff  in  their  beds.  We  made  our 
escape  with  them,  and  also  the  black  horse  which  was  given 
to  him  on  his  raid  into  Pennsylvania  and  Maryland,  the 
time  he  burnt  Chambersburg.  We  had  gone  some  three 
miles  with  him  before  his  command  knew  that  he  had  been 

352 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

captured.  The  Rebs  followed  us  as  rapidly  as  possible  and 
attacked  us,  but  we  made  our  escape  with  the  prisoners  and 
returned  to  Winchester  the  next  evening;  had  eighteen 
prisoners. 

JAMES  RIVER  EXPEDITION. 

The  regiment  continued  doing  picket  duty  until  about  the 
last  of  February.  On  the  night  of  February  28th,  Sheridan 
called  me  into  his  office  and  gave  orders  that  I  should  pro 
ceed  at  daylight,  march  up  the  valley  as  far  as  Woodstock, 
and  remain  there  until  he  would  arrive  with  his  cavalry 
corps  that  night.  So  I  started  as  ordered,  and  marched  as 
far  as  Strasburg.  There  I  found  some  Rebs  and  had  quite 
a  little  brush,  killing  one  of  them,  and  drove  them  away 
from  Strasburg.  I  marched  on  to  Woodstock.  About 
dark  General  Sheridan  arrived  with  his  army.  On  the  fol 
lowing  morning  I  started  with  my  company  of  scouts, 
dressed  in  full  Rebel  uniform,  and  marched  to  Newmarket. 
We  encamped  for  the  night  near  Newmarket.  The  follow 
ing  morning  I  marched  to  Harrisonburg,  found  quite  a 
little  force  of  Johnnies  there,  and  had  quite  a  brisk  fight  be 
tween  the  enemy  and  my  scouts.  We  kept  up  a  bold  front 
until  the  column  came  up,  and  while  the  command  was  en 
gaged  in  fighting,  I  was  ordered  to  take  my  scouts,  accom 
panied  by  one  regiment  of  cavalry,  around  on  their  flank. 
I  found  a  fording  where  we  crossed  safely,  without  the 
enemy  knowing  anything  about  it.  We  succeeded  in  getting 
in  their  rear,  where  we  made  a  charge,  surprised  them  com 
pletely,  and  captured  their  train  and  about  two  hundred 
prisoners. 

Then  we  marched  on  to  Staunton,  left  the  pike  at  Staun- 
ton  and  marched  on  the  dirt  road  for  Charlottesville,  where 
we  found  General  Early  posted  with  the  remnant  of  his 
army  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  to  oppose  our  advance. 
General  Devin,  with  his  command,  was  dismounted  to  fight 
on  foot,  and  Custer's  men  were  formed  for  a  charge. 
Finally  everything  was  ready  for  an  advance,  and  then  the 
fight  opened.  After  a  short  time  General  Sheridan  or 
dered  a  charge,  and  away  we  went,  capturing  every  piece  of 
artillery  and  all  the  wagons,  and  pretty  nearly  all  the  Rebel 

353 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

army.  This  was  the  last  fight  General  Early  ever  made. 
On  we  pushed  through  the  mud  and  finally  reached  Char- 
lottesville,  where  we  laid  three  days  for  a  rest. 

Our  next  move  was  on  to  Lynchburg.  We  marched 
within  twelve  miles  of  the  town,  got  all  the  Rebel  army  in 
the  city  to  defend  it,  and  then  started  in  the  opposite  direc 
tion,  destroying  all  the  railroads,  and  the  James  River  canal 
for  miles,  and  prevented  the  enemy  from  following  us  by 
rail.  We  had  a  full  sweep  of  the  country,  nothing  in  our 
way,  and  we  destroyed  everything  that  would  be  of  use  to 
the  enemy.  We  halted  at  Columbia,  on  the  James  river, 
and  remained  two  days  to  rest  the  horses.  Here  is  where 
John  McCloskey  and  David  Dunn,  of  the  Southside,  were 
taken  prisoners.  They  had  been  back  of  camp  a  short  dis 
tance  at  some  house,  when  the  Rebs  came  up,  captured 
them,  and  took  them  to  Richmond.  They  had  only  been 
prisoners  about  ten  days  when  they  were  exchanged.  On 
their  way  up  on  the  boat  from  Richmond  David  Dunn  took 
sick  and  died. 

During  our  stay  at  Columbia,  on  the  James  river,  there 
was  a  party  of  Rebs  on  the  opposite  side  watching  our 
movements.  General  Sheridan  asked  for  an  officer  and 
twenty  men  to  go  over  and  rout  them.  The  Seventeenth 
always  being  ready,  Captain  P.  A.  English  and  twenty  men 
got  into  an  old  flat,  and  over  the  river  they  went.  We  had 
a  piece  of  artillery  posted  to  cover  our  little  band  in  case 
the  enemy  would  prove  too  strong  for  English,  but  he  made 
the  shore,  drove  the  Rebs  away,  held  the  opposite  shore 
until  dark,  and  then  returned  safe.  It  was  here  that  Sheri 
dan  asked  for  four  of  my  best  scouts.  I  reported  to  his 
headquarters  and  received  orders  to  have  two  men  go 
mounted  and  two  men  cross  the  river  and  go  on  foot  to 
General  Grant's  headquarters,  near  Petersburg,  to  have  ra 
tions  sent  out  to  supply  the  cavalry  corps.  He  said  if  two 
men  would  be  captured  the  other  two  would  likely  get 
through ;  and  if  they  would  make  the  trip  all  right,  he 
would  give  them  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  apiece.  So 
off  they  went  The  four  men  got  through  safe.  The  two 
that  started  mounted  had  to  abandon  their  horses  and  go  on 

354 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

foot  through  the  woods.  When  we  arrived  at  White  House 
Landing  the  four  scouts  were  there  on  a  gunboat,  which 
had  been  sent  around  with  the  boat  loaded  with  supplies 
for  the  cavalry.  We  lay  here  about  two  days,  when  we 
started  for  Grant's  army,  arriving  there  about  the  26th  of 
March.  The  old  Seventeenth  was  always  ready  when  there 
was  any  hard  work  to  be  done.  When  we  arrived  at  Gen 
eral  Grant's  headquarters,  in  front  of  Petersburg,  we  were 
met  with  a  hearty  greeting  by  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
We  lay  there  two  days,  and  drew  rations  and  forage  for  our 
horses,  and  were  then  ready  for  the  march  again. 

The  cavalry  corps  encamped  in  the  rear  of  the  extreme 
left  of  Grant's  Army  of  the  Potomac,  at  Hancock  Station. 
At  this  point  we  received  supplies  for  men  and  horses. 
Sheridan  had  a  small  reinforcement  attached  to  his  com 
mand — the  old  Second  Cavalry  Division,  once  commanded 
by  General  Gregg,  but  now  under  command  of  General 
Crook.  The  three  cavalry  divisions  proceeded  on  this  last 
grand  march  under  Custer,  Devin  and  Crook.  The  old 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  was  under  T.  C.  Devin, 
who  commanded  the  first  division.  The  brigade  to  which 
we  were  attached  was  called  the  Iron  Brigade,  and  was 
noted  for  its  hard  fighting. 

It  was  a  grand  sight  to  see  General  Custer  and  his  staff 
on  the  field  during  the  last  struggle  of  Lee.  The  brave  gen 
eral  had  long,  flowing  curls,  and  a  flaunting  red  scarf, 
which  was  very  conspicuous.  Custer's  division  could  be 
recognized  a  mile  away  by  his  bright  colors.  On  the  2Qth 
of  March,  General  Sheridan,  with  his  cavalry,  left  camp 
and  marched  to  the  extreme  left  of  General  Grant's  army. 
It  was  the  opinion  that  this  was  to  be  a  long  and  wearisome 
raid.  The  cavalry  was  reduced  considerably  by  the  culling 
out  of  all  brokendown  horses  and  dismounted  men.  Be 
fore  starting  they  were  left  at  Petersburg,  and  from  thence 
sent  to  Washington,  never  to  witness  or  take  an  active  part 
in  the  field  again. 

I  will  try  to  give  you  an  idea  of  how  severe  the  last  raid 
was  on  men  and  horses  in  coming  through  from  the  valley. 
When  leaving  Winchester,  W.  Va.,  the  First  and  Third  Cav- 

355 


ITINERARY   OF  THE  REGIMENT 

airy  Divisions  numbered  about  9,484  strong.  On  arriving 
at  Waynesburg,  one  month  later,  the  command  was  re 
duced  1,500  men,  leaving  about  8,000  men  to  continue  the 
march ;  and,  after  arriving  in  front  of  Petersburg,  we  num 
bered  5,700  all  told.  To  this  was  added  Crook's  command, 
numbering  3,300,  and  at  a  later  date,  McKenzie's  skeleton 
cavalry  Division  from  the  Army  of  the  James,  1,000 
strong — thus  making  Sheridan's  cavalry  number  10,000 
men. 

THE  FINAL. CAMPAIGN. 

Sheridan  had  the  Fifth  Army  Corps  added  to  his  com 
mand,  and  was  given  the  command  of  the  left  wing  of  the 
army  during  the  last  campaign.  On  the  29th  of  March,  the 
cavalry  moved  out  of  the  lines,  striking  off  to  the  southwest. 
The  first  night  we  crossed  Hatcher's  Run  and  moved  on  in 
the  direction  of  Dinwiddie  Court  House,  Devin's  division  in 
the  advance,  the  old  Seventeenth  leading.  We  found  some 
Rebs  at  the  Court  House ;  but  were  not  long  in  driving  them 
out.  Devin's  and  Crook's  divisions  went  into  camp  for  the 
night,  leaving  Custer  back  at  Hatcher's  Run.  It  had  been 
raining,  and  the  roads  were  almost  impassable.  The  wagon 
trains  had  stuck  in  the  mud,  and  Custer's  division  was 
guarding  them.  It  was  reported  that  Fitzhugh  Lee's  Rebel 
cavalry  was  off  to  the  south  of  us,  watching  for  an  opportu 
nity  to  pounce  upon  the  train.  I  was  ordered  to  take  my 
scouts,  find  out  the  whereabouts  of  Lee's  advance,  and  re 
port  as  early  as  possible. 

I  found  some  of  his  forces  at  Stone  river,  and  reported 
accordingly.  Custer  was  now  brought  up  from  the  trains, 
just  in  time  to  engage  in  the  fight.  The  First  and  Third 
Cavalry  Divisions  had  been  engaged  the  day  before.  At 
one  time  the  Seventeenth  was  entirely  cut  off,  and  Captain 
P.  A.  English,  with  Company  A,  was  very  nearly  captured. 
Had  it  not  been  that  Captain  English  was  an  excellent  com 
mander  as  well  as  a  brave  officer,  he  and  the  company  would 
surely  have  been  made  prisoners.  General  Sheridan  with 
his  rapid  marching  had  left  a  gap  of  about  five  miles  be 
tween  his  cavalry  and  the  infantry  Fifth  Corps.  The  Sec 
ond  Army  Corps  was  following  the  Fifth. 

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ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

On  the  3Oth  Sheridan  sent  Devin's  division  and  Davies' 
brigade,  of  Crook's  force,  from  Dinwiddie  Court 
House  due  north  to  gain  Five  Forks  on  the  White  Oak 
Road.  Sheridan  remained  at  the  Court  House  with  Cus- 
ter.  It  was  raining  very  hard.  Old  T.  C.  Devin,  the  "Iron 
War  Horse,"  as  he  was  called,  was  ordered  to  take  the  Iron 
Brigade,  to  which  the  Seventeenth  belonged,  to  turn  Lee's 
right  at  Five  Forks — and  well  do  I  remember  the  occasion, 
for  I  was  all  night  with  my  scouts  trying  to  cut  the  wires 
leading  into  Petersburg.  Devin,  on  arriving  at  Five  Forks, 
found  the  Rebs  in  full  force,  so  strong  he  could  not  drive 
them  out.  He  was  obliged  to  fall  back  to  the  main  column. 
Lee  thought  he  would  squash  Devin  or  capture  his  whole 
division.  Pickett's  division  of  the  enemy  was  sent  out  to 
Five  Forks,  with  all  the  Reb  cavalry.  Their  force  numbered 
about  11,000  strong.  Lee  was  a  little  late;  had  he  struck 
Devin  on  the  3Oth,  the  Fifth  Army  Corps  was  still  out  of 
supporting  distance. 

On  the  evening  of  the  3ist  the  infantry  was  about  five 
miles  back.  The  enemy  attacked  us  on  the  3ist,  in  the  style 
in  which  Lee  always  delivered  his  blows.  It  was  about  two 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  they  came  in  on  Devin,  whose 
total  force  did  not  exceed  4,000  men,  and,  fighting  on  foot, 
the  Rebs  drove  us  out  of  the  woods  into  the  road  to  the 
Court  House.  Every  foot  of  the  ground  was  contested  very 
closely,  the  men  fighting  like  tigers,  dismounted,  the  horses 
all  being  sent  to  the  rear.  The  cavalry  under  Devin  fell 
back  to  the  main  force  without  losing  a  prisoner  or  a  gun. 
This  was  the  last  move  of  any  consequence  that  Lee  ever 
made. 

This  corps  of  11,000  men,  under  the  Rebel  General  John 
son,  started  from  the  White  Oak  Road;  first  drove  back 
the  head  of  the  Fifth  Corps,  then  swung  over  and  drove 
Devin,  following  him  down  the  road,  and  charged  Crooks, 
and  was  finally  brought  to  a  halt  in  front  of  Dinwiddie 
Court  House  by  the  cavalry  corps  deployed  in  the  open 
fields,  dismounted.  Devin's  command  was  separated  from 
the  rest  of  the  cavalry.  General  Custer  brought  up  two 
brigades,  and,  with  his  command  included,  managed  to  hold 

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ITINERARY   OF  THE  REGIMENT 

the  Rebs  in  check  until  Devin  came  to  his  assistance,  and 
then  they  made  Pickett  take  the  back  track.  Such  was  our 
position  on  the  night  of  the  3ist. 

During  this  time  I  was  going  night  and  day,  with  my 
scouts,  dressed  in  full  Rebel  uniform,  to  find  out  every  move 
the  enemy  would  make,  and  report  the  same  to  Sheridan. 
I  was  ordered  to  go  to  General  Warren's  headquarters,  on 
the  Boydton  plank  road,  and  tell  him  to  strike  the  enemy 
directly  in  the  rear  with  his  corps  (the  Fifth),  and  to  at 
tack  Pickett  at  daylight.  But  General  Warren  disobeyed 
orders,  and  was  relieved  from  the  command  of  the  corps. 
By  this  time  old  Phil  was  getting  his  mad  up,  and  he  ordered 
McKenzie  back  to  Dinwiddie  Court  House  as  a  reserve, 
and  to  guard  the  train.  Custer  and  Devin  were  ordered  to 
assault  the  works  at  Five  Forks,  and  try  to  turn  the  right 
flank  of  the  enemy. 

About  one  o'clock  the  Fifth  Army  Corps  came  up  and 
was  ordered  to  help  the  cavalry.  The  infantry  was  to  strike 
the  Rebs  on  the  left  of  Pickett's  command,  and  come  down 
behind  their  breastworks,  while  Custer  and  Devin,  with 
their  cavalry,  were  ordered  to  charge  the  works  in  front. 
Custer  and  Devin,  with  only  5,700  men,  had  been  fighting 
and  driving  the  Rebs  all  morning,  while  the  Fifth  Corps  had 
not  struck  a  blow  that  day.  Imagine  the  impatience  of  Sheri 
dan  in  seeing  it  move  so  slowly  with  at  least  15,000  men. 
But  finally  the  infantry  was  ready,  and  the  order  was  given 
to  charge.  Custer  and  Devin  charged  with  the  cavalry, 
swept  over  the  breastworks,  and  captured  all  the  guns  and 
battle  flags  they  had  in  their  works.  Thus  closed  the 
battle  of  Five  Forks.  The  heaviest  of  the  fighting  fell  on 
Devin's  command ,  as  he  charged  the  center.  The  old 
Seventeenth  was  in  the  very  hottest  part  of  the  fire,  and 
sustained  its  good  reputation  for  fighting.  I  was  ordered 
to  report  to  the  commander  of  the  Second  Army  Corps,  and 
tell  him  to  push  forward  rapidly.  The  last  fight  had  been 
fought,  and  now  the  chase  began.  Custer  and  Devin,  with 
the  cavalry,  were  put  in  the  advance  to  follow  up  the  enemy. 
I  was  following  closely,  with  my  scouts,  so  as  to  report 
every  move  they  might  make. 

358 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

On  the  morning  of  the  second  day  of  April  the  chase  be 
gan  in  earnest.  The  cavalry  pushed  on  rapidly  to  the  west 
ward,  and  reached  Ford  Station,  on  the  railroad  from 
Petersburg  to  Lynchburg,  in  order  to  ascertain  the  move 
ments  of  Lee's  army.  Two  railroads  crossed  the  country 
at  this  point.  He  was  following  the  one  leading  from  Rich 
mond  to  Danville,  N.  C,  running  southwest,  known  as  the 
Danville  Railroad.  The  other  road  ran  from  Petersburg 
nearly  due  west,  to  Lynchburg.  They  crossed  each  other  at 
Burksville  Station,  about  forty  miles  west  of  Petersburg. 
Lee's  first  plan  of  retreat  was  along  the  line  of  the  Danville 
road  to  North  Carolina,  where  he  would  join  General  John 
son's  army,  but  little  Phil  was  wide  awake,  and  had  Gen 
eral  Custer  and  Devin  with  their  cavalry  to  cut  him  off. 
With  the  help  of  the  Fifth  Army  Corps  they  then  pushed 
rapidly  to  Burksville,  got  in  his  front,  and  held  him  in 
check  until  our  army  could  get  up  and  attack  his  army  in 
the  rear.  On  the  same  day,  Custer  in  the  advance  and 
Devin  well  up  for  support,  reached  Falls  Station,  about 
half  way  to  Burk's  Station,  on  the  Lynchburg  road. 

On  the  3d  the  cavalry  pushed  on,  having  nothing  to  con 
tend  with  but  Fitzhugh  Lee's  cavalry,  which  gave  way  to 
our  advance  without  much  resistance.  Lee's  army  was 
marching  north  of  us,  about  six  miles  distant,  on  the  road  to 
Armelia  Court  House,  where  it  strikes  the  Danville  Rail 
road,  this  being  about  ten  miles  from  Burksville.  Custer 
and  Devin  were  pushing  on  rapidly  for  Burksville,  while 
Crook  and  McKenzie  were  on  the  road  leading  to  Amelia 
Court  House,  with  the  Fifth  Army  Corps  following.  The 
Rebel  infantry  was  found  guarding  the  trains  of  Lee's  army. 
Lee  was  encumbered  by  a  very  large  army  train  which  he 
was  obliged  to  protect,  but  after  all  was  forced  to  leave. 
Grant  was  pushing  him  with  the  flower  of  his  army,  and  the 
result  of  this  was  soon  visible  to  our  cavalry.  They  saw 
that  the  enemy  was  completely  demoralized,  prisoners  com 
ing  in  by  fifties  and  hundreds,  to  give  themselves  up. 
Wagons  were  found  abandoned,  also  guns  and  caissons  full 
of  wet  ammunition  left  on  the  roadside. 

359 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

Custer  and  Devin,  with  their  commands,  struck  the  Dan 
ville  Railroad  on  the  evening  of  the  4th,  and  made  a  short 
halt  at  Jettersville,  between  Lee  and  Burksville  Junction. 
Sheridan  arrived  at  Jettersville  at  dark,  and  learned  through 
his  scouts,  who  were  continually  on  the  watch,  that  Lee 
was  at  Amelia  Court  House,  hardly  five  miles  off.  The 
Second  Army  Corps  was  following  up  in  the  rear  of  Lee's 
army,  and  the  Sixth  Army  Corps  was  marching  between 
the  Second  and  Fifth.  The  night  of  the  4th  was  Lee's  last 
chance  of  escape,  for  his  army  was  getting  short  of  food. 
We  had  intercepted  one  of  Lee's  dispatches  which  he  was 
forwarding  to  Danville  for  supplies  to  be  shipped  to  Burks 
ville  Junction. 

The  following  morning  Lee  found  that  we  had  got  be 
tween  him  and  Burksville,  and  now  his  only  way  for  escape 
was  over  the  road  leading  to  Lynchburg.  Crossing  the 
country  with  the  expectation  of  meeting  his  supplies  at 
Appomatox  Court  House,  forty  miles  from  Amelia  Court 
House,  the  cavalry  had  been  pressing  him  hard  every  day. 

I  was  ordered  out  with  my  company  of  scouts,  on  the 
different  roads,  to  ascertain  what  the  Rebs  were  doing.  I 
was  about  ten  miles  away  from  the  main  column,  when  I 
came  in  contact  with  a  Rebel  general  by  the  name  of  Bar- 
inger,  commanding  First  North  Carolina  Division.  I  found 
him  with  two  of  his  staff  and  two  orderlies.  My  scouts  and 
I  were  in  full  Rebel  uniform.  After  meeting  them  we  con 
versed  with  them,  got  all  the  information  we  wanted,  and 
then  politely  asked  them  to  surrender.  They  did  not  like  to 
do  so,  but  we  compelled  them  to  comply  with  our  wishes, 
and  we  then  returned  to  our  lines.  I  now  have  in  my  pos 
session  a  medal  given  me  for  capturing  this  general  After 
reaching  our  lines  I  reported  to  General  Sheridan  all  I  had 
learned  of  Lee's  movements,  and  General  Devin,  with  the 
First  Cavalry  Division,  to  which  the  old  Seventeenth  be 
longed,  was  ordered  forward,  and  in  a  short  time  struck  a 
wagon  train  going  to  Appomatox,  by  way  of  Deatonsville. 
It  was  guarded  by  cavalry,  but  was  soon  captured,  with 
five  guns  and  some  prisoners.  During  the  night  the  rest 
of  our  army  came  up  and  encamped  at  Jettersville. 

360 


ITINERARY   OF  THE   REGIMENT 

On  the  morning  of  the  6th  of  April  I  was  ordered  to  be 
ready  to  leave  at  daylight  with  my  scouts,  move  over  the 
road  leading  to  Farmville,  and,  when  I  found  Lee's  column, 
to  report  back  at  once.  I  had  gone  but  three  miles  when  I 
left  the  main  road,  crossed  the  fields,  soon  struck  the  head 
of  Lee's  army,  and  continued  quite  a  distance  with  his 
column.  On  arriving  at  a  cross-road,  I  left,  saying  to  the 
enemy,  that  I  was  going  out  on  the  flank  to  see  if  there  were 
any  Yankees  on  the  road.  After  getting  out  of  sight,  we 
put  spurs  to  our  horses,  soon  reached  our  lines,  and  re 
ported  to  Sheridan  what  we  had  found.  He  at  once  halted 
the  column,  gave  his  orders  to  the  respective  division  com 
manders  to  strike  the  enemy  on  his  flank,  and  away  went  the 
cavalry  in  a  trot,  Crook  having  the  lead,  Custer  and  Devin 
following.  It  was  only  a  short  march.  The  whole  Rebel 
army  train  could  be  seen  in  full  view,  the  train  being  miles 
in  length,  stretched  out  along  the  Lynchburg  road,  and  the 
Rebel  army  marching  along  its  flank  to  protect  it,  doing  all 
they  could  to  escape. 

We  soon  struck  a  stream  called  Sailor's  Creek,  which 
gave  the  name  to  the  fight  that  followed.  It  being  Sheri 
dan's  intention  to  try  and  take  a  portion  of  this  immense 
train,  he  was  not  long  in  having  his  anticipations  realized. 
He  was  in  hopes,  at  the  same  time,  that  the  enemy  would 
make  a  stand,  and  he  could  hold  them  until  our  infantry 
would  get  up.  Crook  was  ordered  to  attack  the  train  and 
find  a  weak  point  if  possible.  This  was  accomplished  just 
after  crossing  the  creek,  on  the  high  grounds  overlooking 
it.  Here  Custer  was  ordered  to  General  Devin's  support. 
Fifteen  pieces  of  artillery  were  taken  and  about  four  hun 
dred  wagons  destroyed,  while  three  divisions  of  Rebel  in 
fantry  were  cut  off  from  their  train. 

The  Rebels  were  just  posting  a  battery  of  nine  pieces  of 
artillery  as  General  Custer  came  forward.  He  understood 
their  intentions  in  time,  turned  back,  and  ordered  General 
Devin  to  bring  up  his  men,  as  there  would  be  a  warm  con 
test.  I  knew  the  old  Seventeenth  would  have  to  stand  her 
share,  and  I  was  anxious  to  hear  the  next  order.  Devin 
was  coming  on  a  trot  when  Custer  turned  to  me  and  said, 

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ITINERARY   OF  THE  REGIMENT 

"Mac,  for  God's  sake,  see  what  that  is  coming  on  my  right." 
I  turned  my  horse,  passed  through  the  Seventh  Michigan 
regiment,  and  was  going  up  the  side  of  the  hill,  to  look  down 
the  other,  when  I  met  the  Rebels  coming  in  full  line  of 
battle. 

I  turned  back,  as  a  matter  of  course,  when  they  fired,  but 
I  got  back  safe,  and  reported  to  him  just  in  time  to  see  him 
lead  the  charge  at  Sailor's  Creek,  the  old  Seventeenth  tak 
ing  her  share  of  it.  There  were  eight  hundred  prisoners 
captured.  We  also  took  and  destroyed  nearly  one  thousand 
wagons.  About  five  o'clock  p.  m.  the  Rebel  General  Ker- 
shaw  surrendered  his  sword  to  General  Custer.  The  total 
number  captured  that  day  was  seven  thousand  prisoners, 
with  thirty-seven  battle  flags  and  a  large  number  of  guns; 
also  the  Rebel  General  Ewell  and  his  whole  staff  were  taken, 
with  the  whole  corps,  most  of  them  falling  into  the  hands  of 
the  cavalry.  This  was  the  closing  of  the  Sailor  Creek  battle. 
At  night  nearly  all  of  the  old  army  of  the  valley  encamped 
together  by  Sailor  Creek,  Generals  Sheridan,  Custer,  Mer- 
ritt,  -Devin,  Crook  and  Wright,  after  their  usual  glorious 
success. 

The  following  morning  after  the  Sailor  Creek  fight,  the 
cavalry  took  up  the  chase  after  Lee's  army,  General  Crook 
in  the  advance.  It  was  now  definitely  known  that  Lee  was 
trying  to  retreat  to  Danville. 

On  the  morning  of  the  7th  of  April,  General  Phil  Sheri 
dan  ordered  General  Devin  and  General  Custer,  with  their 
commands,  under  General  Merritt,  to  the  southwest,  some 
distance  from  the  railroad,  on  the  road  leading  to  Prince 
Edward  Court  House.  General  Crook  was  pushing  di 
rectly  after  Lee  in  the  direction  of  Farmville,  north  of 
Prince  Edward  Court  House.  He  struck  Lee's  retreating 
forces  at  Farmville,  but  was  compelled  to  fall  back,  the 
Rebels  being  too  strong,  which  caused  the  loss  of  many 
men,  and  General  Gregg  of  the  cavalry. 

When  Generals  Devin  and  Custer  arrived  at  Prince  Ed 
ward  Court  House,  they  found  the  place  deserted.  They 
immediately  returned,  joined  the  main  column,  and  went 
into  camp  for  the  night,  near  the  railroad. 

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ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

On  the  morning  of  the  8th  of  April,  I  reported  to  General 
Sheridan  for  orders,  and  was  ordered  to  take  four  of  my 
scouts  and  proceed  to  Appomattox  Court  House,  and  find 
out  when  Lee  was  expected  to  arrive  at  that  point  and  re 
port  back  immediately.  After  going  about  three  miles,  we 
found  two  Rebel  soldiers  at  a  house  on  the  roadside.  We 
asked  what  they  belonged  to,  and,  of  course,  they  would  re 
peat  the  same  question  in  asking  what  we  belonged  to,  see 
ing  that  we  were  dressed  in  their  clothing.  We  said  we  be 
longed  to  the  Ninth  Virginia  Cavalry.  After  getting  all  the 
information  we  could,  we  continued  on  our  way  until  we 
reached  a  station,  where  we  found  five  or  six  Rebs  standing 
on  the  platform. 

I  inquired  of  them  if  they  had  seen  any  Yankees  about 
today.  They  said  no,  but  said  about  one  mile  further  on 
there  was  a  train  of  cars  laden  with  rations,  and  also  another 
train  of  supplies  at  Appomattox  station.  We,  of  course,  pre 
tended  we  were  delighted  in  knowing  that  we  would  soon 
have  supplies,  as  we  (the  Rebs)  were  nearly  starved,  and  we 
were  sent  out  by  General  Lee  to  know  if  there  were  any 
"Yanks"  on  that  road.  After  learning  all  we  could,  we  re 
turned  to  the  main  column.  General  Custer  was  in  the  ad 
vance,  Devin  following,  and  Crook  in  the  rear. 

After  giving  General  Sheridan  all  the  information  I  had, 
he  ordered  General  Custer  forward  on  the  main  road, 
Devin  and  Crook  to  take  the  flank,  with  orders  to  push  to 
the  front  as  fast  as  possible.  Off  went  the  cavalry  on  a  trot. 
Now  came  my  orders  from  little  Phil ;  I  was  to  proceed  to 
the  Rebel  lines  and  get  inside  of  the  army  and  find  out  as 
near  as  I  could  the  strength  of  Lee's  army.  So  off  I  started 
with  my  scouts,  succeeded  in  getting  inside  their  lines,  and 
marched  quite  a  distance  with  them  as  happy  as  any  of  them. 
But  before  Lee  reached  the  Court  House,  Custer  and  Devin 
had  captured  both  trains  of  cars  which  were  loaded  with 
supplies  for  the  Rebel  army,  and  had  run  them  back  in  our 
lines. 

General  Lee  arrived  at  Appomattox  about  five  o'clock  p. 
m.,  on  the  evening  of  the  8th.  I  remained  in  their  lines  with 
my  men,  until  some  time  after  dark.  After  Lee  found  that 

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ITINERARY   OF  THE   REGIMENT 

Sheridan  had  captured  his  trains,  and  that  his  advance 
column  was  cut  off,  he  determined  to  make  a  terrible  effort 
to  go  through,  as  this  was  his  last  chance.  So  he  ordered 
a  line  of  infantry  forward  to  push  our  cavalry  back.  The 
fight  continued  until  about  eight  o'clock  at  night.  When 
everything  quieted  down,  I  left  Lee's  lines ;  and,  as  we  went 
out  through  their  lines,  we  took  with  us  a  rebel  lieutenant 
and  ten  men  off  of  their  picket  line,  and  reported  to  General 
Sheridan  all  our  discoveries.  Custer  and  Devin  had  cap 
tured  during  the  day  about  thirty  pieces  of  artillery,  a  great 
many  prisoners,  wagon  trains,  and  two  trains  of  cars.  The 
Rebel  army  lay  all  night  within  rifle-shot  of  our  army.  Our 
infantry  came  up  during  the  night,  so  that  at  daylight,  our 
army  was  in  position  for  the  last  grand  fight. 

I  have  read  many  different  statements  in  regard  to  Lee, 
but  I  will  try  and  give  a  true  statement,  as  I  was  present 
during  this  last  struggle  of  Lee  and  his  army.  You  know 
already  of  my  position,  and  my  duty,  of  course,  called  me  to 
General  Sheridan^  headquarters.  When  General  Lee  came 
up  to  Sheridan,  I  stood  within  five  feet  of  him  when  he  dis 
mounted.  During  any  movement  of  the  cavalry  I  always 
rode  near  the  General,  so  that  if  any  orders  were  to  be  sent 
to  his  commanding  officers  I  would  be  ready  to  go  or  send 
one  of  my  men.  Very  frequently  we  had  to  pass  by  the 
Rebs  in  getting  from  one  command  to  the  other,  and  being 
acquainted  with  their  way  of  talking,  we  could  answer  them 
without  being  detected.  When  General  Fitzhugh  Lee  surren 
dered  he  said  he  could  watch  his  troops,  but  those  scouts 
were  always  with  him  and  he  could  never  get  them. 

On  the  morning  of  April  Qth,  General  Lee,  at  daylight, 
commenced  his  last  struggle  for  escape.  The  fight  opened 
up  brisk  for  a  short  time,  the  cavalry  and  infantry  all  en 
gaged,  and  continued  until  near  ten  a.  m.,  when  Lee  found 
he  could  not  get  through  nor  fall  back,  as  he  was  completely 
cut  off  and  surrounded  on  all  sides ;  and,  to  save  any  further 
blood-shedding,  he  sent  in  a  flag  of  truce  to  Custer's  part  of 
the  line,  asking  to  surrender.  Sheridan  was  soon  informed 
of  the  fact.  Sheridan,  Custer  and  Ord  had  quite  a  long  talk 
together.  Sheridan  then  called  me  up  and  told  me  to  send 

364 


ITINERARY  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

two  of  my  old  scouts  to  General  Grant ;  they  would  find  him 
either  with  the  Second  or  Fifth  Army  Corps. 

So  off  they  went  and  found  him  with  the  Fifth  Corps. 
They  were  to  tell  the  General  that  Sheridan  would  be  at 
Appomattox  Court  House.  General  Grant  arrived  at  the 
Court  House  about  two  p.  m.  on  the  gth  of  April.  One  of 
Sheridan's  staff  officers  went  over  to  Lee's  headquarters  and 
informed  him  of  General  Grant  being  at  the  Court  House. 
Lee  was  not  long  in  making  his  appearance.  He  came  up 
riding  his  dark  gray  horse  accompanied  by  one  orderly,  dis 
mounted,  handed  his  rein  to  his  man,  stepped  upon  the  porch 
and  shook  hands  with  Generals  Grant,  Sheridan,  Ord  and 
Custer.  They  talked  for  a  few  minutes  and  then  went  into 
the  house.  As  to  Lee  giving  his  sword  to  General  Grant,  it 
is  not  the  case. 

While  they  were  in  the  house  I  talked  to  his  orderly.  Lee 
soon  came  out,  mounted  his  horse,  tipped  his  hat,  and  rode 
off.  The  house  that  the  surrender  was  taken  in  was  a  two- 
story  brick  building,  with  a  small  porch  in  front,  with  a 
yard  in  front  of  the  house  about  twenty  feet  wide,  with  a 
slat  or  paling  fence  and  a  small  gate  about  the  center.  The 
Court  House  was  set  back  in  a  square  and  a  few  houses  faced 
it  in  front.  In  about  one  hour  after  Lee  left  General  Grant, 
the  prisoners  that  Lee  had  captured  came  marching  over, 
headed  by  General  Gregg  who  had  been  captured  a  day  or  so 
before  the  surrender.  About  dark  our  army  trains  took 
supplies  into  Lee's  army,  they  being  entirely  out  of  rations. 
The  two  armies  lay  all  night  within  half  a  mile  of  each 
other.  I  went  into  the  Rebel  lines  after  dark  and  conversed 
with  some  of  the  men.  They  appeared  well  satisfied  that 
the  war  was  over.  I  have  given  you  a  correct  account  of 
Lee's  last  fight  and  surrender  to  Grant. 

On  the  loth  of  April,  Sheridan  started  back  for  Peters 
burg  with  his  command,  the  infantry  remaining  to  parole 
the  prisoners  and  take  charge  of  their  arms  and  stores. 
About  two  o'clock  p.  m.  on  the  loth,  General  Lee  passed  us 
on  his  way  home.  He  had  bidden  his  troops  farewell  in  the 
morning.  After  getting  to  Petersburg  the  cavalry  recruited 
themselves  up,  and,  after  three  days'  rest,  started  for  North 

24-17th  R.  3    5 


ITINERARY   OF  THE  REGIMENT 

Carolina  to  help  Sherman  capture  Johnson's  army.  We 
had  got  as  far  as  a  place  called  Black  Walnut,  when  I  was 
ordered  back  to  Petersburg.  Sheridan,  Meade  and  Grant 
went  to  Washington,  General  Crook  remaining  back  to  bring 
the  army  to  Washington.  We  laid  near  Washington  until 
after  the  grand  review  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and 
Sherman's  army.  Sheridan  was  then  sent  to  New  Orleans 
to  take  charge  of  the  Department  of  the  Gulf.  The  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  was  in  camp  about  four  miles 
back  of  Alexandria,  at  Cloud's  mills.  We  remained  there 
until  about  the  first  of  June,  when  a  portion  of  the  Seven 
teenth  went  to  Louisville,  Ky.  It  was  there  but  a  short  time, 
came  back  to  Harrisburg  and  was  mustered  out* 

My  friends,  I  have  given  you  a  brief  sketch  of  our  work 
during  the  war.  I  don't  think  you  can  find  a  regiment  that 
has  a  better  record,  and  went  through  more  battles  than  did 
the  Seventeenth,  commencing  at  the  Chancellorsville  fight, 
and  ending  at  Appomattox  Court  House,  April  9,  1865. 
In  all  eighty-seven  engagements  no  regiment  carried  back  to 
her  state  a  better  record  than  did  the  old  Seventeenth  Penn 
sylvania  Cavalry. 


366 


COMPLIMENTARY  NOTICES  OF  THE 
REGIMENT. 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIRST  CAVALRY  DIVISION, 
ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC,  MAY  10,  1863 

General  Orders,  No.  27. 

The  general  commanding  takes  this  occasion  to  commend  the 
conduct  of  the  Second  Brigade  and  Martin's  Sixth  Independent 
New  York  Battery,  in  the  late  engagement  near  Chancellorsville. 

The  distinguished  gallantry  of  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania  Regi 
ment  in  charging  the  head  of  the  enemy's  column,  advancing  on 
the  Eleventh  Corps,  on  the  evening  of  the  second  instant ;  the  hero 
ism  of  the  Sixth  New  York  Regiment  in  cutting  its  way  back  to 
our  own  lines  through  treble  its  force  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  on 
the  first  instant;  and  the  coolness  displayed  by  the  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  Regiment  in  rallying  fugitives,  and  supporting  the 
batteries  (including  Martin's)  which  repulsed  the  enemy's  attack 
under  "Jackson,"  on  the  evening  of  the  second  instant,  have  ex 
cited  the  highest  admiration. 

These  noble  feats  of  arms  recall  the  glorious  days  of  Middle- 
town,  Boonsboro,  Antietam,  Martinsburg,  Upperville,  Barber's,  and 
Amosville,  where  the  First  Brigade  shared  with  us  the  triumphs 
of  victory,  and  they  will  now,  while  exulting  in  this  success,  join  in 
sorrow  for  the  brave  who  have  fallen. 

The  gallant  McVicar,  the  generous  chivalric  Keenan,  with  one 
hundred  and  fifty  killed  and  wounded  from  your  small  numbers, 
attest  to  the  terrible  earnestness  that  animated  the  midnight  conflict 
of  the  second  of  May. 

A.  PLEASONTON, 
Brigadier-general  Commanding. 

HEADQUARTERS,  SECOND  BRIGADE,  FIRST  CAVALRY  Div. 
MIDDLE  MILITARY  Div.,  NOVEMBER  6,  1864. 

SOLDIERS  :  The  brevet  brigadier-general  commanding  feels  that  he 
should  not  allow  the  present  opportunity  to  pass  without  referring 
to,  and  recalling,  the  operations  of  his  brigade  during  the  late  en 
gagements. 

Rapidly  transferred  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to  the  Shen- 
andoah  Valley,  you,  on  the  second  day's  march,  engaged  a  brigade 
of  mounted  infantry,  and  in  one  hour  drove  them  from  two  strong 
positions  in  utter  rout.  Again,  at  Front  Royal,  Smithfield,  Kear- 
neysville,  and  Shepherdstown,  your  sturdy  arms  and  keen  sabres  on 
each  occasion  hurled  back  the  serried  masses  of  the  foe.  At  the 
battle  of  the  Opequan,  after  charging  and  routing  a  superior  force 
of  the  enemy's  cavalry  in  your  front,  you  whirled  like  a  thunder- 

367 


COMPLIMENTARY  NOTICES 

bolt  on  the  left  of  his  infantry  lines,  and  rode  them  down  in  the 
face  of  a  withering  fire,  in  two  successive  charges,  capturing  over 
five  hundred  prisoners,  and  five  battle-flags. 

When  detached  from  the  division,  and  in  advance,  during  the 
long  pursuits  of  Early's  army  from  Fisher's  Hill  to  Port  Republic, 
your  gallantry  and  daring  while  pressing  the  enemy  called  forth 
the  highest  praise.  In  the  action  of  the  ninth  of  October,  taking  the 
advance  near  Edinburg,  you  drove  Lomax's  division  "whirling" 
through  Mount  Jackson  and  across  the  Shenandoah,  capturing  his 
last  gun  and  his  train. 

On  the  memorable  nineteenth  of  October,  the  crowning  glory  was 
reserved  for  you  of  pursuing  the  enemy  and  reaping  the  fruits  of 
that  brilliant  victory.  After  sturdily  fighting  from  early  morn  with 
the  gallant  old  division  to  which  you  were  attached,  in  its  success 
ful  efforts  to  check  and  finally  drive  the  enemy's  right,  you  dashed 
across  the  bridge  over  Cedar  Creek,  under  a  heavy  fire,  charging 
and  completely  smashing  the  enemy's  rear  guard.  Darkness  did 
not  relax  your  efforts,  but  on  you  pushed,  capturing  guns,  trains, 
and  prisoners  until  at  near  midnight,  you  had  reached  Fisher's  Hill, 
eight  miles  from  the  battlefield. 

At  early  dawn  you  charged  and  drove  the  enemy's  cavalry  from 
the  hill,  and  pushed  on  to  Woodstock  after  the  fast-flying  foe,  who 
could  not  again  be  overtaken. 

Twenty-two  of  the  forty-three  guns  captured  by  the  cavalry, 
fifty-nine  wagons  and  ambulances,  over  four  hundred  prisoners, 
(including  a  number  of  officers,)  and  two  battle-flags,  were  the 
trophies  of  your  success. 

You  have  captured,  during  this  short  campaign,  twenty-four  guns, 
nine  battle-flags  in  action,  and  over  one  thousand  prisoners. 

This  brilliant  success  has  not  been  effected  without  severe  loss. 
One-third  of  your  number,  including  forty  officers,  have  been 
killed  or  wounded.  They  have  fallen  nobly  at  their  post  of  duty. 

Praise  from  me  is  superfluous.  The  record  of  your  deeds  is  suf 
ficient.  You  have  done  your  duty,  and  the  brigade  has  maintained 
its  old  reputation. 

Signed,  THOMAS  C.  DEVIN, 

Brevet  Brigadier-general. 

(Official.)  J.  H.  MANKEN,  Capt.  and  A.  A.  G. 

HEADQUARTERS,  FIRST  CAVALRY  DIVISION, 
DEPT.  OF  WASHINGTON,  JUNE  21,  1865 

To   the  Officers,  Non-Commissioned   Officers,  and  Privates  of  the 

Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

SOLDIERS  :  In  pursuance  of  orders  for  the  reduction  of  the  armies 
of  the  United  States,  your  regiment  has,  to  a  large  extent,  been 
honorably  mustered  out  of  service,  the  few  who  remain  being  con 
solidated  with  the  Second  Provisional  Pennsylvania  Cavalry. 

368 


COMPLIMENTARY  NOTICES 

But  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania,  though  now  of  the  past,  shall 
not  be  forgotten.  In  five  successive  campaigns,  and  in  over  three 
score  engagements,  you  have  nobly  sustained  your  part. 

Of  the  many  gallant  regiments  from  your  native  State,  none 
has  a  brighter  record,  none  have  more  freely  shed  their  blood  on 
every  battlefield  from  Gettysburg  to  Appomattox. 

Your  gallant  deeds  will  be  ever  fresh  in  the  memory  of  your 
comrades  of  the  Iron  Brigade  and  the  First  Division.  Soldiers, 
farewell ! 

T.  C  DEVIN, 
Brevet  Major-general  Volunteers. 


369 


LIST   OF   ENGAGEMENTS   IN   WHICH   THE 
REGIMENT  PARTICIPATED. 

Occoquan,  Va December  25,  1862. 

Kelly's  Ford,  Va April  28,  1863. 

Rapidan  River,  Va April  29,  1863. 

Chancellorsville,  Va May  I,  2  and  3,  1863. 

Beverly  Ford,  Va June  9,  1863. 

Aldie,  Va June  16,  1863. 

Upperville,  Va June  21,  1863. 

Ashby's  Gap,  Va June  21,  1863. 

Middleburg,  Va June  21,  1863. 

Goose  Creek,  Va June  22,  1863. 

Gettysburg,  Pa July  I  and  2,  1863. 

Smithburg,  Md July  4,  1863. 

Williamsport,  Md July  6,  1863. 

Funktown,  Md July  7,  1863. 

Beaver  Creek,  Md July  8,  1863. 

Boonesborough,  Md July  9,  1863. 

Falling  Waters,  Md July  14,  1863. 

Brandy  Station,  Va.  . .  : Aug.  i  and  2,  1863. 

Culpepper,  Va Sept.  13,  1863. 

Brandy  Station,  Va Sept.    14,    1863. 

Raccoon  Ford,  Va Sept.    14,    1863. 

Robertson's  Ford,  Va Sept.  19,  1863. 

Barnett's  Ford,  Va Sept.  22,  1863. 

Madison  Court  House,  Va Sept  23,  1863. 

Morton's  Ford,  Va Oct.  11,  1863. 

Stevensburg,  Va Oct.  n,  1863. 

Brandy  Station,  Va Oct.  n,  1863. 

Rappahannock  Station,  Va Oct.  12,  1863. 

Oak  Hill,  Va Oct.  13,  1863. 

Rapidan  River,  Va Oct.  17.   1863. 

Thoroughfare  Gap,  Va Oct.  20,  1863. 

Liberty,  Va Oct.  24,  1863. 

Bealton  Station,  Va Oct.  28,  29  and  30,  1863. 

Rickseyville,  Va Nov.  8,  1863. 

Mine  Run,  Va Nov.  29.   1863. 

Barnett's  Ford,  Va .'  Feb.  5,  1864. 

Taylorsville,  Va Feb.  28,  1864. 

Kilpatrick's  Richmond  Raid,  Va Feb.  28  to  March  15,   1864. 

Atlees  Cross  Roads,  Va Mar.  2,  1864. 

Wilderness,  Va May  4  and  5,  1864. 

Furnace,  Va May  6,  1864. 

Todd's  Tavern,  Va May  7,  1864. 

370 


LIST  OF  ENGAGEMENTS 

Spottsylvania,  Va May  8,  1864. 

Beaver  Dam  Station,  Va May  9,  1864. 

Ground  Squirrel  Bridge,  Va May  10,  1864. 

Yellow  Tavern,  Va May  n,  1864. 

Meadow    Bridge,   Va May  12,  1864. 

New  Castle  Ferry,  Va May  26,  1864. 

Hanovertown,  Va May  27,  1864. 

Hawes  Shop,  Va May  28,  1864. 

Topotomy  Creek,  Va May  29,  1864. 

Old  Church,  Va May  30,  1864. 

Cold  Harbor,  Va May  30  and  June   I,   1864. 

Trevilian  Station,  Va June  12,  1864. 

White  House  Landing,  Va June  21,  1864. 

Jones  Bridge,  Va June  23,  1864. 

Darbytown    Va July  28,  1864. 

Berryville,  W.  Va August  10,  1864. 

White  Post,  W.  Va August  n,  1804. 

Newtown,  W.   Va August  1 1,  1864. 

Cedarville,  W.  Va August  15,  1864. 

Front  Royal,  W.  Va August  16,  1864. 

Summit  Point,  W.  Va August  20,  1864. 

Near  Charlestown,  W.  Va August  21,  1864. 

Kearneysville,  W.  Va August  25,  1864. 

Leetown,  W.  Va August  28,  1864. 

Smithfield,  W.  Va August  29,  1864. 

Berryville,  W.  Va Sept.  3,  1864. 

Opequon,  W.  Va Sept.  7,  1864. 

Bunker  Hill,  W.  Va Sept.  13,  1864. 

Winchester,  W.  Va Sept.  19,  1864. 

Luray,   W.   Va Sept.  24,  1864. 

Smithfield,  W.  Va Sept.  30,  1864. 

Tom's  Brook,  W.  Va Oct.  9,  1864. 

Cedar  Creek,  W.  Va Oct.  19,  1864. 

Newtown,  W.  Va Nov.  12,  1864. 

Gordonsville,  W.  Va Dec.  22,  1804. 

Sheridan's  James  River  Raid,  Va Feb.  29  to  Mar.  18,  1865. 

Dinwiddie  Court  House,  Va March  30,  1865. 

Stony  Creek,  Va March  31,  1865. 

Five  Forks,  Va April  I,  1865. 

Scott's  Cross  Roads,  Va April  2,  1865. 

Drummond's  Mill,  Va April  4,  1865. 

Near  Jettersville,  Va April  5,  1865. 

Sailor's  Creek,  Va April  6,  1865. 

Appomattox  Station,  Va April  8,  1865. 

Appomattox  Court  House.  Va April  9,  1865. 

A  number  of  minor  engagements  are  not  included  in  the  above 

list. 

371 


THE  MONUMENT. 

SEVENTEENTH  REGIMENT,  PENNSYLVANIA  VOLUNTEER 
CAVALRY,  GETTYSBURG,  PA. 

The  committee  appointed  by  the  Seventeenth  Regiment, 
Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry  Association  for  the  erec 
tion  of  a  monument  on  the  battlefield  of  Gettysburg,  were 
not  only  solicitous  that  it  should  be  properly  located,  but 
especially  that  it  should  be  first,  distinctively  typical  of  the 
branch  of  service  it  represented;  second,  that  its  design 
should  be  unique  and  different  from  any  other  monument 
on  the  field;  and  third,  that  it  should  be  composed  of  such 
material  and  construction  as  to  last  for  ages  to  come.  How 
well  the  committee  succeeded  is  best  evidenced  by  the  monu 
ment  itself.  Surely  no  more  appropriate  design  than  a 
mounted  private  cavalry  soldier  could  have  been  selected. 
The  private  soldier  was  the  unit  of  the  rank  and  file,  the 
bone  and  sinew  that  made  up  that  grand  army  of  blue,  the 
like  of  which  has  never  been  equalled  in  the  history  of  the 
world.  The  private  soldier  was  always  in  the  thickest  of 
the  fight,  did  the  most  hazardous  picket  duty  and  performed 
the  most  arduous  menial  duties  in  camp.  Upon  the  heroism 
of  the  private  sol-dier,  rather  than  the  officers  who  command 
ed  them,  rested  the  issues  of  battles. 

Still  further  to  emphasize  the  appropriateness  of  the  de 
sign,  the  committee  took  special  pains  to  produce  the  private 
cavalry  soldier  just  as  he  was  in  the  active  service;  and, 
to  obtain  the  very  best  results,  a  typical  horse  was  selected, 
and  Comrade  George  W.  Ferree,  of  Company  L  of  its  own 
regiment,  dressed  in  his  own  uniform,  together  with  such 
other  original  equipments  as  were  in  actual  service  during 
the  War  of  the  Rebellion,  was  mounted  on  it.  Then  a  fac 
simile  cut  life  size  was  made  in  bas-relief,  on  a  solid  granite 
boulder  ten  feet,  six  inches  high,  ten  feet,  three  inches  wide, 
and  three  feet  thick  at  the  base,  weighing  over  twenty- 
seven  tons,  thus  virtually  reproducing  the  private  cavalry 
soldier  as  he  was  while  in  the  active  campaign.  Of  the  four 

372 


THE  MONUMENT 

hundred  and  more  monuments  on  the  battlefield  of  Gettys 
burg,  that  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Vol 
unteer  Cavalry  is  pronounced  by  military  critics  the  most 
artistic  monument  there.  A  few  references  to  the  monu 
ment  itself  may  not  be  out  of  place  in  this  connection. 

When  the  regiment  arrived  in  Gettysburg,  late  in  the 
afternoon  of  June  30,  1863,  after  a  short  stay  in  the  town, 
it  moved  out  the  Mummasburg  Road  and  went  into  camp 
a  short  dis'tance  from  the  Seminary  Ridge.  The  reserve 
picket  post  was  located  on  top  of  the  ridge,  guarding  the 
Mummasburg  Road,  with  the  outpost  picket  advanced  as  far 
out  the  road  as  the  Forney  residence,  the  monument  occupy 
ing  the  very  spot  where  the  vedette  was  stationed.  Early 
the  next  morning,  July  i,  1863,  the  Confederate  army  ad 
vanced  in  two  columns,  one  on  the  Chambersburg  Pike  and 
the  other  on  the  Mummasburg  Road,  both  leading  to  Gettys 
burg.  There  are  different  claims  made  as  to  who  fired 
the  first  shot  that  opened  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  As 
these  two  columns  advanced  almost  simultaneously,  in  all 
probability  it  will  never  be  definitely  known  to  whom  this 
honor  belongs. 

Comrade  F.  W-  Whitney,  a  member  of  Company  B,  of 
the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry, 
claims  that,  on  the  morning  of  July  i,  1863,  he  was  on  picket 
on  the  Chambersburg  Pike,  and  that,  shortly  before  six 
o'clock  that  morning,  as  he  spied  the  enemy  approaching, 
he  fired  the  shot  that  opened  the  great  battle.  Whether 
this  be  correct  or  not,  the  vedette  on  our  monument  is  re 
presented  as  having  just  discovered  the  enemy,  and  both 
man  and  horse  are  intently  looking  in  the  direction  of  his 
approach.  The  vedette,  with  carbine  raised,  is  just  about 
ready  to  fire  the  first  shot  that  announces  to  his  reserve 
post,  that  the  enemy  is  approaching/  Immediately  the  re 
serve  rallies  to  his  support,  and  before  the  men  in  camp  had 
time  to  finish  their  breakfast,  the  call  of  "Boots  and  Sad 
dles"  is  heard  and  the  regiment  is  hurried  over  Seminary 
Ridge  and  formed  in  line  of  battle  on  the  Forney  farm,  be 
coming  hotly  engaged,  and  holding  the  enemy  in  check  until 
relieved  by  the  First  Corps. 

373 


THE  MONUMENT 

Again  referring  to  the  monument  jthe  author  desires  to 
call  the  attention  of  the  reader  to  a  few  minor  details  which 
otherwise  might  be  overlooked,  such  as  the  natural  attitude 
of  both  the  trooper  and  the  horse,  perfectly  at  ease,  with 
intelligent  expressions  that  indicate  that  they  are  on  the 
alert,  wide-awake,  and  that  they  mean  business.  Again  the 
fatigue  cavalry  uniform,  regulation  cap,  gauntlets,  top 
boots,  spurs,  blankets,  shelter  tent,  canteen,  saddle,  bridle, 
halter,  carbine,  carbine  sling,  revolver,  belt  with  cartridge 
boxes,  saddle-bags  with  the  handle  of  the  curry-comb  ex 
tending,  (which  might  suggest  something  quite  different  to 
the  uninitiated)  and  even  the  lower  end  of  the  saber  scab 
bard,  worn  on  the  left  side,  are  shown,  all  harmoniously 
and  systematically  displayed  so  as  to  reproduce  the  cavalry 
soldier  as  he  actually  appeared  during  active  campaigning. 
The  coat  of  -arms  of  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  in  bronze 
is  inserted  at  the  base.  The  base  also  contains  the  follow 
ing  inscription,  viz. : 

SEVENTEENTH      REGIMENT,,     PENNSYLVANIA     CAVALRY, 

SECOND  BRIGADE,  FIRST  DIVISION,  CAVALRY  CORPS, 

ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC. 

On  the  reverse  side  is  the  corps  badge  and  the  following 
inscription,  viz. : 

THE  REGIMENT  HELD  THIS  POSITION  ON  THE  MORN 
ING  OF  JULY  i,  1863,  FROM  5  O'CLOCK  UNTIL  THE  AR 
RIVAL  OF  THE  FIRST  CORPS  TROOPS.  THE  BRIGADE  THEN 
MOVED  TO  THE  RIGHT,  COVERING  THE  ROADS  TO  CAR 
LISLE  AND  HARRISBURG,  AND  HOLDING  THE  ENEMY  IN 
CHECK  UNTIL  RELIEVED  BY  TROOPS  OF  THE  ELEVENTH 
CORPS.  IT  THEN  TOOK  POSITION  ON  THE  RIGHT  FLANK 
OF  THE  INFANTRY  AND  LATER  AIDED  IN  COVERING  THE 
RETREAT  OF  THE  ELEVENTH  CORPS  TO  CEMETERY  HILL, 
WHERE  IT  WENT  INTO  POSITION  WITH  THE  DIVISION  ON 
THE  LEFT  WING  OF  THE  ARMY. 

RECRUITED  IN  BEAVER,  SUSQUEHANNA,  LANCASTER', 
BRADFORD,  LEBANON,  CUMBERLAND,  FRANKLIN,  SCHUYL- 
KILL,  PERRY,  LUZERNE,  MONTGOMERY,  CHESTER,  AND 
WAYNE  COUNTIES. 

374 


THE  MONUMENT 

ENLISTED  SEPT.  i,  1862,  MUSTERED  IN  SEPT.  19,  1862. 
MUSTERED  OUT  JUNE  16,  1865,  AT  CLOUDS  MILLS,  VA. 
THE  REGIMENT,  IN  WHOLE  OR  IN  PART,  PARTICIPATED 
IN  55  ENGAGEMENTS,  AMONG  WHICH  WERE  THE  FOL 
LOWING,  viz. : 

GETTYSBURG,  MINE  RUN,  WILDERNESS,  TODD'S  TAVERN, 
COLD  HARBOR,  TREVILIAN  RAID,  SHERIDAN'S  FIRST  EX 
PEDITION,  DEEP  BOTTOM,  FISHER'S  HILL,  NEWTOWN, 
WINCHESTER,  GORDONSVILLE,  GOOCHLAND  C.  H.,  FIVE 
FORKS,  SAILOR'S  CREEK,  AND  APPOMATTOX. 

At  a  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  the  regiment  held  in  the 
G.  A.  R.  Hall  at  Lebanon,  Pa.,  October  5,  1887,  the  follow 
ing  committee  on  erecting  a  suitable  monument  was  ap 
pointed,  viz : 

Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Wm.  Thompson. Pottsville,  Pa. 
Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Theo.  W.  Bean . .  Norristown,  Pa. 

Bugler  H.  P.  Moyer Lebanon,  Pa. 

Lieut.  Jas.  Brennan Scranton,  Pa. 

Sergt.  H.  G.  Williams Philadelphia,  Pa. 

The  committee  met  at  Allentown,  Pa-,  February  16,  1888, 
and  entered  into  a  contract  with  the  Smith  Granite  Company 
of  Boston,  Mass.,  for  the  erection,  on  the  battlefield  of 
Gettysburg,  of  a  monument  to  consist  of  a  solid  boulder  of 
Westerly  granite  marble,  to  weigh  not  less  than  twenty-two 
tons,  upon  which  was  to  be  cut,  in  bas-relief,  a  full  sized 
cavalry  vedette,  together  with  such  other  inscriptions  as 
the  committee  may  suggest,  at  a  total  cost  not  exceeding 
$3000.00. 

On  April  10,  1888,  the  committee,  including  Colonel  Coe 
Durland,  met  the  State  Board  of  Commissioners  at  Gettys 
burg,  Pa.,  completed  the  contract  and  located  the  monument 
at  the  Mummasburg  Road  close  to  the  residence  of  J.  S. 
Forney,  at  the  junction  of  a  then  contemplated  new  avenue, 
which  the  committee  suggested  to  the  Board  of  Commis 
sioners  should  be  named  Buford  Avenue.  The  avenue  has 
since  been  opened  and  now  has  some  very  fine  cavalry 
monuments,  and,  being  located  on  high  ground,  affords  a 
beautiful  view  of  that  portion  of  the  battlefield. 

On  the  1 2th  day  of  October,  1888,  the  committee,  at  the 
request  of  the  Smith  Granite  Company,  visited  the  quarries 

375 


THE  MONUMENT 

of  the  company  at  Westerly,  R.  I.,  for  the  purpose  of  ex 
amining  the  boulder  and  also  inspecting  a  plaster  of  paris 
model  which  had  been  prepared  and  to  make  such  correc 
tions  as  were  deemed  necessary.  The  only  correction  that 
was  made  was  to  exchange  a  cap  instead  of  the  hat  that  the 
model  had.  In  less  than  one  hour's  time  the  artist  substitut 
ed  the  cap  for  the  hat,  which  all  agreed  was  a  decided  im 
provement- 

On  the  nth  day  of  June,  1889,  the  Smith  Granite  Com 
pany  informed  Colonel  Thompson  that  the  monument  was 
in  position,  and  requested  the  committee  to  meet  the  Penn 
sylvania  Board  of  Commissioners  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  on  the 
2ist  day  of  June,  1889,  for  the  purpose  of  accepting  the 
same,  if  satisfactory.  The  committee  met  the  commission 
on  the  day  appointed  and  upon  examination  found  the  monu 
ment  erected  and  located  at  the  point  designated  by  it.  The 
work  was  considered  satisfactory,  and  both  the  committee 
and  the  State  Commission  accepted  the  same. 

The  liabilities  incurred  by  the  committee  in  the  erection 
of  this  beautiful  monument,  including  the  dedicatory  ser 
vices,  were  $3,500.00,  of  which  amount  the  State  paid  $ir 
500.00,  but  not  until  the  Smith  Granite  Company  of  Boston 
had  produced  receipts  to  the  State  Board  of  Commissioners 
that  all  liabilities  against  the  monument  had  been  fully  paid. 
From  an  artistic  standpoint  this  monument  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry  is  not  ex 
celled  by  any  other  on  this,  the  most  historic  and  best  pre 
served  battlefield  in  the  world.  Military  critics  have  pro 
nounced  it  the  most  artistic  monument  on  the  battlefield  of 
Gettysburg.  The  veterans  and  their  friends  are  proud  of  it, 
and  the  committee  who  superintended  its  erection  are  deserv 
ing  of  the  highest  praise  for  the  efficient  manner  in  which 
they  discharged  their  duty. 

The  monument  was  dedicated  with  imposing  services, 
Wednesday  forenoon,  September  u,  1889.  About  three 
hundred  of  the  old  veterans  with  a  goodly  number  of  their 
friends  were  present. 


376 


(  iKOKCK    \\'.    I'Y.KKKK. 

Srr-i'ant.  Company   L.  rarkrrslmr.n,  Ta. 


GEORGE  W.  FERREE. 

SERGEANT  COMPANY  L,  CONSHOHOCKEN,  PA. 

Sergeant  George  W.  Ferree  was  born  near  Parkersburg, 
Chester  county,  Pa.,  May  26,  1843.  His  early  life  was 
spent  with  his  father  on  his  farm  in  Chester  county.  Sep 
tember  15,  1862  he  enlisted  in  the  Chester  county  cavalry 
company,  and  on  the  2ist  day  of  September,  1862,  he  was 
mustered  into  the  United  States  service  and  became  a  mem- 
be  of  Company  L,  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania 
Volunteer  Cavalry  and  had  an  unbroken  service  record  with 
the  company  and  regiment  until  he  was  mustered  out  of  the 
service,  June  16,  1865. 

He  was  a  splendid  horseman  and  never  seemed  better 
satisfied  than  when  he  rode  a  spirited  horse.  He  always 
rode  one  of  the  best  horses  in  the  regiment.  After  the  com 
mittee,  which  was  appointed  to  erect  a  regimental  monument 
on  the  battlefield  of  Gettysburg,  had  agreed  on  a  mounted 
cavalry  vedette  as  its  design,  Sergeant  Ferree  was  selected  as 
a  typical  cavalryman  to  pose  for  the  sculptor.  His  fine 
physique  and  graceful  soldierly  bearing  is  artistically  por 
trayed  by  the  artist  on  the  monument. 

As  long  as  his  health  would  permit  he  was  an  enthusi 
astic  attendant  at  our  regimental  reunions  and  evidenced 
great  interest  in  reviewing  reminiscences  of  the  regiment. 
He  died  November  22,  1906,  at  Parkersburg,  Pa.,  and  his 
remains  were  deposited  in  the  Octoraro  Cemetery  near  Par 
kersburg. 


377 


DEDICATION  OF  THE  MONUMENT. 

Address  Delivered  at  the  Dedication  of  the  Monu 
ment  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry, 
Gettysburg,  September  n,  1889. 

BY  BREVET  LIEUTENANT-COLONEL  THEO.    W.   BEAN. 

Great  battles  are  fought  to  gain  or  to  maintain  strategic 
positions,  and  are  usually  preceded  by  important  marches 
of  the  hostile  armies.  The  movements  of  Lee's  troops  to  the 
Susquehanna,  and  their  operations  for  three  days  prior  to 
the  concentration  of  the  invading  army  on  this  field,  July  i, 
and  the  counter  movement  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  for 
the  same  period,  presaging  as  they  did  a  tremendous  crash 
of  arms,  are  replete  with  interest  to  a  student  of  the  battle 
of  Gettysburg. 

The  field  of  active  military  operations  extended  from 
the  Potomac  to  the  Susquehanna.  Two  veteran  armies  of 
100,000  each  under  skilled  chieftains,  were  manoeuvering 
between  the  two  rivers  for  the  advantage  of  position  in  the 
impending  battle.  The  geographical  extent  of  the  field,  the 
open  and  improved  character  of  the  country,  suggested  the 
employment  of  the  maximum  strength  of  the  cavalry  forces 
operating  with  the  contending  armies.  No  brighter  page 
of  historic  interest,  no  more  sagacious  generalship,  no  truer 
devotion  to  duty  by  the  rank  and  file,  will  be  found  in  the 
campaign  of  1863  than  in  the  history  of  the  Cavalry  Corps 
of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  beginning  at  Beverly  Ford  on 
the  Qth  of  June  and  closing  at  Falling  Waters  on  the  I4th 
of  July,  1863. 

The  greater  efficiency  of  the  corps  was  secured  by  adding, 
preparatory  to  this  campaign,  a  Third  Division,  and  in  the 
promotion  and  assignment  to  brigade  commands  of  three 
distinguished  young  officers,  Generals  Merritt,  Custer  and 
Farnsworth.  The  three  divisions,  as  then  organized,  were 
commanded  by  Generals  Buford,  Gregg  and  Kilpatrick,  re 
spectively,  and  the  corps  by  Major  General  Pleasonton.  To 

378 


DEDICATION    OF   THE   MONUMENT 

the  First  Division  was  assigned  the  arduous  and  responsible 
task  of  covering  the  left  flank  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
in  its  march  to  and  into  Pennsylvania,  of  attacking  the  invad 
ing  army  and  forcing  it  to  battle  on  grounds  of  our  own 
selection,  if  possible,  and  then  holding  it  at  bay  until  sup 
ports  could  reach  the  field  of  combat.  It  will  always  be  a 
source  of  martial  pride  to  every  member  of  the  regiment, 
whose  memorial  we  this  day  dedicate  to  immortal  memory 
that  it  was  a  part  of  and  the  only  Pennsylvania  organization 
present  in  the  First  Cavalry  Division,  whose  services  are  so 
conspicuously  associated  with  the  first  hours  and  the  first 
day  of  the  battle  of  Gettysburg. 

A  RETROSPECT. 

General  Buford's  Division  crossed  the  Pennsylvania  line 
in  Franklin  county  on  the  2Qth  of  June  Passing  over  the 
South  Mountain  it  went  into  camp  near  Fairfield  for  the 
night,  in  a  region  abounding  in  forage  and  water  for  our 
jaded  horses,  as  well  as  in  supplies  of  Pennsylvania  bread 
and  meat  for  the  wearied  men  of  the  command.  The  day's 
march  was  uneventful,  save  in  the  short  but  eloquent  speech 
es  made  by  the  captains  in  obedience  to  orders,  and  in  the 
responsive  and  ringing  cheers  made  by  the  gallant  soldiers 
as  they  marched  by  the  trooper  of  Company  G,  who  stood 
with  streaming  guidon,  on  the  boundary  line  of  the  State, 
indicating  our  exit  from  doubtful  Maryland  into  loyal  Penn 
sylvania. 

The  restful  camp  that  followed  our  march  over  the 
mountain  was  memorable  only  in  the  departure  of  Company 
G  on  a  social  visit  for  the  night  to  their  homes,  at  and  near 
Waynesboro,  in  the  exercise  of  authority  reluctantly  given 
them  by  Colonel  Kellogg,  and  their  return  without  a  man 
missing  by  sunrise  on  the  following  morning,  in  fulfillment 
of  their  pledge  of  honor.  The  day's  march  had  a  signifi 
cance,  however,  far  beyond  the  comprehension  of  the  toil 
ing  officer  and  soldier  of  the  line.  The  trained  eye  and 
splendid  forecast  of  General  Buford,  scanned  with  eager 
interest  the  landscape  that  opened  to  his  view  on  this  moun 
tain  highway.  Gravely  impressed  by  the  importance  of 

379 


DEDICATION    OF   THE   MONUMENT 

impending  events,  Buford  said  to  the  officers  surrounding 
him  "within  forty-eight  hours,  the  concentration  of  both 
armies  will  take  place  upon  some  field  within  view,  and  a 
great  battle  will  be  fought."  By  the  examination  of  a  local 
map  obtained  in  the  neighborhood,  the  remarkable  con 
vergence  of  broad  highways  at  Gettysburg  was  first  clearly 
disclosed  to  the  officers  in  command,  and  indicated  the  ap 
proximate  field  of  the  coming  conflict.  To  this  point,  under 
general  instructions,  Buford  hastened  and  directed  his 
next  day's  march.  It  is  a  remarkable  coincidence  that  on  the 
evening  of  this  day,  June  29,  General  Lee  issued  his  order 
for  the  concentration  of  his  army  at  Cashtown,  recalling 
General  Ewell  from  the  Susquehanna.  The  march  of 
Buford's  column  northward,  reported  to  Lee  by  his  secret 
service,  indicated  the  advance  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac 
in  the  same  direction.  This  movement  precipitated  pre 
parations  for  what  was  then,  as  well  as  subsequently,  be 
lieved  to  be  the  greatest  battle  of  the  war. 

The  advance  of  all  columns  was  upon  Gettysburg  on  the 
morning  of  June  30,  save  that  commanded  by  General 
Stuart;  General  Ewell  from  the  east,  General  Hill  from 
the  north,  General  Longestreet  from  the  west ;  from  the 
south,  General  Buford  on  the  left,  General  Gregg  on  the 
right,  covering  the  capital,  and  the  face  of  the  country  from 
Hanover  to  Fairfield — the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  under  a 
new  commander  was  moving  to  strike  the  Army  of  North 
ern  Virginia  whenever  found. 

There  was  an  episode  connected  with  our  movement  on 
the  Harrisburg  Pike  when  near  town,  of  a  surprising  charac 
ter.  The  regiment  was  massed  in  a  small  field  within  short 
range  of  Gen.  Howard's  artillery  on  Cemetery  Hill.  The 
officers  in  charge  of  the  batteries,  looking  through  the  dust 
and  smoke  of  the  field,  mistook  the  command  for  the  enemy, 
and  turned  their  guns  upon  us.  A  number  of  shells  exploded 
over  and  near  us,  but  no  one  was  injured.  The  command 
to  change  our  position  was  promptly  given,  and  we  recall 
the  fact  that  it  was  executed  with  a  celerity  that  did  credit 
to  mounted  troops.  Grave  fears  for  the  moment  were  felt 
by  all,  that  the  guns  firing  upon  us  might  be  in  the  hands 

380 


DEDICATION   OF   THE   MONUMENT 

of  the  enemy  and  in  our  rear;  but  a  hasty  reconnoissance 
made  by  Major  Durland,  and  his  prompt  report,  soon  afford 
ed  us  sense  of  relief. 

Note. — Two  battalions  of  the  regiment  only  were  on  the 
line  of  the  First  Brigade  on  the  morning  of  July  i.  Com 
panies  E  and  L  were  ordered  to  the  support  of  Lieutenant 
John  H.  Calef's  Battery  A,  Second  U.  S.  Artillery,  in  action 
with  the  First  Brigade  on  the  Cashtown  Road,  and  remain 
ed  in  that  position  until  relieved  by  the  Infantry  of  the 
First  Corps,  when  they  joined  the  regiment  on  the  Harris- 
burg  Pike.  Companies  D  and  H,  under  command  of 
Captain  Thompson,  were  on  detached  duty  at  Fifth  Corps 
headquarters,  and  were  present  with  General  Mead  dur 
ing  the  second  and  third  days  of  the  battle. 

The  retirement  of  the  troops  from  the  first  to  the  second 
position  was  rapid,  and  the  difficult  task  was  not  executed 
without  confusion.  The  broken  lines  of  battle  were  forced 
in  hastily  formed  columns  through  narrow  streets  with  ar 
tillery,  mounted  troops  and  trains.  The  regiment  preserved 
its  formation  throughout  this  trying  ordeal,  and  with  the 
brigade  and  division  went  into  position  on  Cemetery  Hill, 
holding  the  extreme  left  of  the  new  line.  The  Seventeenth 
Pennsylvania  Cavalry  was  placed  in  support  of  Calif's  bat 
tery,  while  the  carbineers  of  the  division  were  hastened  to 
the  support  of  the  First  Corps  in  defeating  the  advance 
of  the  enemy  to  the  Emmitsburg  Pike. 

The  sun  set  upon  a  hard  fought  field.  The  line  so  gallantly 
fought  for  was  lost,  and  with  it,  hundreds  of  unburied  dead, 
suffering,  wounded  and  thousands  of  prisoners.  A  flushed 
enemy  pressed  his  temporary  advantage,  and  possessed  him 
self  of  the  streets  of  a  town,  in  which  every  public  building 
was  a  hospital,  and  every  household  a  place  of  fear  and 
sorrow.  The  sweep  of  battle  lines  from  the  north  and  west 
had  driven  scores  of  families  with  their  possessions  in  hasty 
flight  within  the  Union  lines,  where  in  fancied  security,  they 
mutely  witnessed  the  fruit  of  their  toil  converted  into  sup 
plies  for  the  enemy,  or  burned  to  ashes  between  contending 
lines  of  battle.  The  first  day  closed  upon  an  army  deeply 
impressed  with  the  loss  it  had  sustained;  but  undismayed, 

381 

25— 17th   R. 


DEDICATION   OF   THE   MONUMENT 

and  with  a  courage  that  could  not  be  broken,  it  fully  realized 
that  on  the  morrow  the  contest  would  be  renewed  with 
longer  lines  and  fiercer  conflicts.  Day  succeeded  day  of 
carnage ;  and  the  grand  climax  was  reached  when  the  Rebel 
chieftain  hurled  the  pride  of  his  army  against  the  loyal 
line,  where  it  met  a  wall  of  fire  and  steel,  before  which  it 
could  not  stand,  beyond  which  it  could  not  pass,  and  from 
which  it  was  driven  with  a  loss  of  life,  and  consequence  of 
battle  that  made  days  most  memorable  in  the  history  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac. 

The  first  day  merged  into  the  second  and  the  first  and 
second  days  into  the  third.  A  trinity  of  battle  fires  fused 
regiments  and  brigades,  divisions  and  corps  into  the  in 
trepid  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  gave  to  Freedom's  em 
pire  the  field  and  victory  of  Gettysburg.  Time  is  disclosing 
the  far-reaching  results  of  issues,  met  and  decided  on  this 
field.  Posterity  will  not  pause  before  this  memorial,  and 
inquire  into  the  details  of  the  service  of  Buford's  Cavalry, 
or  of  the  fall  of  Reynolds  on  the  first  day,  the  fall  of  Zook 
in  the  "whirlwind"  of  battle,  or  the  famous  march  of  the 
Sixth  Corps  to  the  imperiled  field  on  the  second  day,  or 
the  bloody  repulse  of  Longstreet  on  the  third  day.  All 
days,  all  men,  all  commands  and  all  memorials  will  crystal 
lize  in  history,  and  the  sole  question  of  our  children  will 
be,  "were  you  with  Meade  at  Gettysburg?"  The  magnitude 
of  the  struggle  will  appear  as  the  student  reads  the  dis 
couraging  events  preceding  it,  and  the  courageous  endurance 
of  an  army  and  a  nation,  that  were  disciplined  by  successive 
defeats.  The  loyal  North  was  deeply  humiliated  by  Bull 
Run.  The  Peninsula  Campaign  was  grievously  disappoint 
ing  to  administrative  circles. 

Pope's  campaign  and  Antietam  were  followed  by  a  period 
of  despondency  that  deepened  into  absolute  gloom  with  the 
deplorable  defeat  at  Fredericksburg.  Inspired  by  a  love 
of  country,  with  dauntless  courage,  the  same  army  was 
led  to  another  and  a  last  defeat  at  Chancellorsville.  Then 
forced  to  a  new  field,  under  a  new  leader,  gathering  new 
strength  from  new  conditions,  it  struck  its  deadliest  blow, 
and  demonstrated  to  friends  and  foe  that  it  was  invincible. 

382 


DEDICATION   OF   THE   MONUMENT 

After  Gettysburg,  the  issue  between  the  North  and  South 
was,  to  sagacious  statesmanship,  no  longer  problematical. 
Confidence  was  supreme  in  the  nation's  last  hope,  the  army ; 
foreign  complications  were  rendered  remote;  the  Union 
was  believed  to  be  safe;  and  the  destruction  of  the  hostile 
army  was  only  a  question  of  time,  a  consummation  witnessed 
less  than  two  years  later  with  emotions  of  joy  and  honor 
able  pride  by  every  survivor  on  the  field  of  Appomattox. 

Time  has  made  sad  havoc  among  those  who  survived  the 
engagement — Buford,  Meade  and  Hancock,  Sedgwick  and 
Warren,  with  thousands  of  others,  have  joined  the  silent 
and  ever-increasing  majority.  Another  quarter  of  a  cen 
tury  hence,  and  by  far  the  greater  number  of  those  present 
today  will  have  passed  away,  and  every  survivor  have  reach 
ed  his  three  score  years,  soon  to  be  mustered  out  and  num 
bered  among  the  dead  of  Gettysburg.  History  will  record 
the  splendid  achievement  of  arms,  the  State  will  ever  pay 
deserved  tribute  to  her  valiant  sons,  whose  distinguished 
services  made  this  the  most  memorable  battlefield  of  the 
Great  Rebellion.  Posterity  living  in  the  blessings  of  peace, 
in  the  hopes  and  possibilities  of  an  indissoluble  Union,  will 
emblazon  every  patriot  grave  with  imperishable  glory.  Fu 
ture  pilgrimages  will  be  made  to  this  field  of  memorials, 
inspiring  future  generations  with  a  love  of  country  and  a 
valor  to  defend  it  for  ages  to  come. 

The  movement  of  General  Stuart  on  that  day  was  so  re 
markable,  as  seen  in  the  light  of  subsequent  events 
that  it  should  not  pass  without  notice.  This  officer 
with  five  thousand  veteran  cavalry,  under  the  com 
mand  of  Generals  Fitz  Lee  and  Hampton,  fought  at  Han 
over  on  the  29th  of  June,  and  marched  northward  during 
the  following  night,  in  expectation  of  joining  Ewell's  forces, 
then  operating,  as  he  confidently  believed,  on  the  Susque- 
hanna  River.  Colonel  White's  cavalry  occupied  the  York 
Pike  during  the  3Oth,  covering  Ewell's  left  flank  on  the 
march  to  Hunterstown.  Notwithstanding  White's  occupa 
tion  of  this  highway  and  Stuart's  desire  to  join  his  friends 
who  were  at  least  20,000  strong,  the  Confederate  Cavalry 
leader  marched  northward  to  their  rear  in  ignorance  of  their 

383 


DEDICATION    OF   THE   MONUMENT 

line  of  march,  and  did  not  halt  until  he  reached  Carlisle. 
For  twelve  hours  at  least,  he  was  marching  away  from  the 
point  of  concentration,  away  from  his  friends 
and  his  enemies,  rendering  himself  and  veteran 
troops  utterly  useless  to  his  profoundly  solicitous  chief. 
Considering  the  office  of  a  cavalry  leader  to  be  the  eye  and 
sword  of  his  superior  in  command,  estimating  fairly  the 
value  of  Stuart  and  his  corps  to  Lee  on  the  field  of  battle 
July  i,  and  the  reasonable  possibility  of  his  being  there,  had 
he  possessed  himself  of  the  information  within  his  power 
to  obtain  on  June  30,  it  must  appear  in  history  as  the  first 
of  a  series  of  fatalities,  if  not  blunders,  resulting  in  the 
defeat  of  the  invading  army.  Had  General  Stuart  followed 
the  trail  of  Lee's  retiring  troops,  he  would  have  been  in 
front  of  Gettysburg  by  sunrise  of  July  I,  and  taking  posi 
tion  on  the  field  at  that  hour,  supported  by  Ewell's  and 
Hill's  infantry,  all  will  admit  the  field  of  Gettysburg  would 
have  been  lost  to  the  Army  of  the  Potomac;  and  with  it 
possibly  the  opportunity  of  inflicting  upon  the  enemy  the  ir 
reparable  injury  they  suffered  by  the  loss  of  men  and 
prestige  in  the  great  battle  that  followed. 

THE  DIVISION  LINE. 

The  right  of  the  line  of  General  Buford's  cavalry,  as 
established  here  on  the  night  of  June  30,  rested  on  the 
Harrisburg  Pike,  three  miles  east  of  Gettysburg,  extending 
westward  in  a  semi-circle,  across  the  Carlisle,  Mummasburg, 
Chambersburg  and  Fairfield  roads,  with  the  left  resting  near 
the  junction  of  Marsh  Creek  with  Willoughby  Run.  The 
night  of  June  30  closed  upon  the  loyal  people  of  the  North 
with  no  news  of  importance  from  the  Army  of  the  Potomac. 
Its  movements  for  days  prior  had  been  purposely  concealed 
from  the  public,  and  its  exact  whereabouts  at  the  time  was 
as  much  of  a  mystery  to  the  people  of  the  North  as  to 
General  Lee.  The  presence  of  the  enemy  in  force  in  the 
Cumberland  Valley,  the  hundreds  of  refuges  with  their  stock 
and  valuables  arriving  at  the  endangered  capital  of  the 
State,  the  stories  of  stampeded  men  and  excited  women 
furnished  hourly  fresh  material  for  the  reporters  of  the 

384 


DEDICATION   OF   THE   MONUMENT 

period;  and  the  daily  press  magnified  the  incidental  bru 
talities  of  war  until  the  frightened  people  of  Eastern  Penn 
sylvania  stood  paralyzed,  and  seemingly  at  the  mercy  of 
the  invading  foe.  Critics  abounded  in  those  trying  days, 
and  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  thought  sadly  remiss  in 
allowing  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia  to  cross  Mason  and 
Dixon's  Line.  The  shock  of  war  was  alarming  to  the  peace- 
loving  people  of  the  Commonwealth,  but  they  rallied  prompt 
ly  to  the  appeals  of  a  great  war  governor.  The  trail  of 
Ewell  was  closely  followed  by  hastily  equipped  levies  of 
patriotic,  though  inexperienced  troops  whose  coming  was 
hailed  with  a  thrill  of  manly  confidence  by  the  veteran  army 
of  Meade  than  aligning  the  crested  hills  around  Gettsburg, 
and  waiting  in  grave  suspense  for  the  hour  of  deadly  con 
flict. 

The  retrospect  would  be  imperfect  without  reference  to 
the  sensibilities  and  emotions  of  those  who  made  home  the 
dearest  place  on  earth.  The  experience  of  the  preceding 
battles  and  campaigns  between  these  two  great  armies  left 
no  doubt  of  the  appalling  loss  of  life  that  would  inevitably 
result  from  the  shock  of  arms  hourly  anticipated.  Doubting 
and  timid  minds  saw  in  the  bitter  reverse  of  Fredericksburg 
and  Chancellorsville  the  possibility  of  defeat  in  Pennsyl 
vania  and  with  it  a  train  of  humiliating  results  at  home,  and 
serious  complications  abroad. 

THE  FIRST  GUNS  AT  GETTYSBURG. 

Sunrise  of  July  I  disclosed  the  enemy's  skirmishers  ad 
vancing  on  the  Carlisle  and  Chambersburg  roads.  The 
battalion  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  com 
manded  by  Major  J.  Q.  Anderson,  on  picket  covering  the 
Carlisle  Road,  were  the  first  troops  on  the  right  of  the 
division  line  to  receive  and  return  the  fire  of  General  Ewell's 
troops.  At  the  same  hour  a  squadron  of  the  Eighth  Illinois 
Cavalry,  commanded  by  Lieutenants  Jones  and  Dana,  were 
attacked  by  Hill's  infantry  on  the  Chambersburg  Pike. 
General  Devin,  in  his  official  report,  says :  "My  skirmishers 
on  the  right  were  forced  back  by  the  advance  of  the  enemy's 
line  of  battle,  coming  from  the  direction  of  Heidleburg. 

385 


DEDICATION   OF   THE   MONUMENT 

Knowing  the  importance  of  holding  that  point  until  the  in 
fantry  could  arrive  and  be  placed  in  position,  I  immediately 
placed  the  Ninth  New  York  Cavalry  in  support,  (of  the 
Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry)  and  dismounting  the 
rest  of  my  available  force,  succeeded  in  holding  the  Rebel 
line  in  check  for  two  hours,  until  relieved  by  the  arrival  of 
the  Eleventh  Corps,  when  I  was  ordered  to  mass  my  com 
mand  on  the  right  of  York  Road,  and  hold  the  appproach." 
The  movement  of  the  Second  Brigade  to  the  right,  cover 
ing  the  Harrisburg  and  York  roads,  was  a  necessity  to  check 
the  advance  of  the  enemy  on  these  highways.  It  was 
obvious  that  the  Union  troops  were  vastly  outnumbered 
and  it  required  the  most  skillful  disposition  of  the  dismount 
ed  carbineers  to  meet  and  delay  the  enemy's  determined 
advance.  Our  comrades  of  the  Seventeenth  will  remember 
it  was  at  Gettysburg  that  we  first  used  carbines,  having 
obtained  them  at  Bull  Run  while  on  the  march  to  this  field. 
The  line  of  carbineers  of  the  regiment  was  steadily  main 
tained  on  the  right  until  the  troops  of  the  Eleventh  Corps 
yielded  their  ground  to  the  overwhelming  numbers  of  the 
enemy,  when  they  promptly  found  their  horses,  and  with 
the  infantry  retired  toward  the  town. 

The  triumph  of  the  Union,  and  the  perpetuity  of  the 
American  Republic  has  been  the  crowning  glory  of  the  world 
in  the  nineteenth  century  of  Christian  civilization.  The 
impulse  of  victory  quickened  the  powers  of  the  American 
ized  Anglo-Saxon,  and  intensified  his  love  of  country,  liberty 
and  dominion.  The  Republic  with  60,000,000  of  people 
has  a  base  for  future  empire,  unexampled  in  the  history 
of  nations.  Her  continental  domain,  her  loyalty  of  citizen 
ship,  her  magnitude  of  resources,  in  peace  and  war,  all 
alike  presage  a  future  as  phenomenally  great  as  the  past. 

The  retrospect  from  this  battlefield  goes  beyond  the  rise 
of  commonwealths  and  the  establishment  of  their  unity.  It 
comprehends  the  wonderful  providence  of  mankind  in  se 
curing  to  the  best  type  of  the  race  the  best  portions  of  the 
earth.  The  courageous  manhood  of  the  colonial  fathers 
was  repeated  in  the  men  who  fought  for  and  won  the  field 
of  Gettysburg. 


DEDICATION   OF   THE   MONUMENT 

Warlike  and  uncivilized  tribes  peopled  the  continent,  in 
waste  four  hundred  years  ago,  and  resisted  with  savage  im 
pulse,  the  advance  of  our  invincible  race.  From  the  Altan- 
tic  to  the  Alleghanies,  across  the  broad  prairies  to  the  Rocky 
Mountains,  on  to  the  golden  shores  of  the  Pacific,  these 
hostile  tribes  have  been  driven  by  the  American  soldier  and 
pioneer.  In  the  track  of  this  continental  sweep  of  civiliza 
tion,  we  now  count  the  fruits  of  peaceful  victories  as  para 
mount  to  those  of  war.  The  courage  and  endurance  of  the 
colonists  gave  to  them  the  right  of  occupancy;  the  Revolu 
tion,  the  right  of  eminent  domain;  the  War  of  1812,  the 
honor  of  our  flag  on  land  and  sea ;  the  war  with  Mexico 
demonstrated  our  power  of  continental  conquest,  and  the 
war  for  the  Union  secured  the  boon  of  constitutional  liberty 
to  every  soul  born  to  the  Republic. 

The  day  and  event  which  bring  us  together  as  participants 
in,  and  survivors  of  the  most  sanguinary  battle  of  the  Great 
Rebellion,  is  one  of  unusual  interest.  The  youth  of  1863  is 
the  man  of  middle  age  now,  and  the  man  of  matured  years 
in  that  great  engagement  is  now  a  gray  headed  veteran. 
Time  has  left  its  imprint  not  only  upon  our  features,  but  it 
has  left,  let  us  hope,  its  lessons  of  wisdom  derived  from  an 
honorable  and  arduous  experience.  We  were  called  to  the 
field  in  the  darkest  day  of  the  struggle.  We  responded  to 
the  appeal  of  the  Commonwealth  without  the  incentive  of 
bounty  or  the  spur  of  the  draft,  and  the  same  Common 
wealth,  voicing  the  will  of  her  patriotic  people  now  seeks  to 
honor  the  command  by  planting  for  us,  on  the  ground  we 
helped  to  make  historic,  a  service  monument;  and  in  grati 
tude  sends  the  survivors  as  her  guests  to  the  field  of  honor 
to  witness  its  dedication. 

In  our  subsequent  career  we  followed  the  fortunes  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  on  many  bloody  fields  to  final  victory, 
and  when  the  Confederate  flag  went  down  at  Appomattox, 
the  heresy  of  disunion,  with  the  curse  of  human  slavery, 
treason  and  rebellion,  were  buried  with  it  with  the  honors 
of  war.  Good  faith  on  the  part  of  those  who  participated 
in  that  final  arbitrament  of  arms,  demands  that  the  terms 
and  conditions  with  the  decrees  of  that  burial  service  shall 

387 


DEDICATION    OF   THE   MONUMENT 

be  righteously  observed,  and  issues,  there  adjusted,  never 
more  be  revived. 

The  ceremonial  event  is  one  of  seriousness  and  not  of 
morbid  sympathy  or  affectation.  We  stand  among  surviv 
ing  men,  whose  eyes  did  »ot  shed  tears,  and  whose  cheeks 
did  not  pale  or  blanch  amidst  the  roar  of  artillery  or  the 
crash  of  musketry,  when  driven  from  the  ground  we  now 
occupy  to  the  crested  hills  where  the  victory  was  gallantly 
won  by  our  heroic  comrades.  The  war  did  not  end  with  the 
surrender  of  Lee  on  the  Potomac,  as  all  hoped,  and  many 
believed  it  should,  as  the  sequel  to  the  battle  of  Gettysburg. 
It  was  a  contest  between  men  of  the  same  race ;  the  issue  in 
volved  the  best  Anglo-Saxon  blood  on  the  face  of  the  earth ; 
the  armies  marshalled  for  the  conflict  were  greater  in  num 
bers,  ranked  higher  in  intelligence  and  were  more  thorough 
ly  representative  of  of  progressive  civilization  than  all  others 
since  the  days  and  regime  of  Xerxes.  They  were  recruited 
from  all  grades  and  conditions  of  society ;  millionaires  and 
mechanics,  men  of  learning  and  the  children  of  luxury 
marched  side  by  side ;  from  warehouse  and  workshop,  from 
farm  and  forge,  from  professional  life  and  the  homes  of 
pinching  want,  men  came  to  do  battle  for  their  country. 

American  ingenuity  and  enterprise,  quickened  by  the  love 
of  country  and  the  reward  of  wealth,  gave  to  the  prefession 
of  arms  the  most  novel  and  destructive  weapons  on  land  and 
sea,  known  to  mankind, — breechloading,  revolving  and  re 
peating  small  arms,  superior  field  guns  and  ordnance,  im 
proved  signal  telegraphic  and  railroad  service,  and  a  revolu 
tion  in  the  naval  architecture  of  modern  nations. 

It  was  a  rebellion  of  gigantic  proportions.  Its  long  death 
roll  of  victims,  its  huge  and  lasting  debt,  its  moral  blight 
and  continuing  sorrow,  keenly  felt  upon  days  of  returning 
memory,  mark  the  event  and  period  conspicuously  in  the 
history  of  our  country,  and  commands  us  to  profit  by  the 
unexampled  experience  and  sacrifice. 

In  the  enjoyment  of  national  peace  and  matchless  pros 
perity,  we  come  to  dedicate  the  offering  of  a  grateful  Com 
monwealth.  The  deft  hand  of  art  has  fashioned  in  bold 
relief  the  horse  and  man,  a  typical  soldier  of  the  line.  The 


DEDICATION   OF   THE   MONUMENT 

face  and  form  of  the  hero  in  granite  still  survives,  and  we 
all  rejoice  in  his  presence  today.  (Sergeant  George  W. 
Ferree,  Company  L,  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry, 
Parksburg  P.  O.,  Pa.)  This  memorial  to  the  fidelity,  patrio 
tism  and  valor  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  is, 
as  it  should  be,  among  the  most  enduring  on  this  historic 
field.  It  testifies  to  the  returning  veteran  of  today,  as  it 
will  to  the  youth  of  future  ages,  the  high  esteem  in  which 
the  private  soldier  was  held  by  officers,  comrades,  and  Com 
monwealth, — and  when  and  where  the  first  blood  was  shed 
at  Gettysburg.  The  official  and  approving  tribute  of  the 
lamented  Buford  to  those  who  served  with  him  on  this  line, 
is  a  part  of  our  history;  and  we  now  commit  it,  with  this 
memorial  to  our  descendants  for  all  time  to  come.  "The  zeal, 
bravery  and  good  behavior  of  the  officers  and  men  on  the 
night  of  June  30  and  during  July  I,  was  commendable  in 
the  extreme.  A  heavy  task  was  before  us ;  we  were  equal 
to  it,  and  shall  all  remember  with  pride  that  at  Gettysburg 
we  did  our  country  much  service." 


389 


REVIEW  OF  THE  REGIMENT. 

Extracts  from  an  Address  Delivered  by  the  Author 
at  the  Reunion  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  June  6,  1900. 

On  the  first  day  of  July,  1862,  the  President  of  the  United 
States  issued  a  call  for  300,000  volunteers  for  the  purpose 
of  not  only  filling  the  depleted  ranks  of  the  Union  army,  but 
also  to  place  more  men  in  the  field,  which  the  spring  cam 
paign  of  1862  so  clearly  evidenced  were  necessary  to  crush 
the  rebellion.  Of  this  number  the  Governor  of  Pennsyl 
vania  was  requested  to  furnish  three  regiments  of  cavalry. 
The  regiment  represented  here  today  was  the  second  of 
these  three,  viz.,  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Volunteer 
Cavalry,  or  the  i62d  in  the  regular  order  of  the  number  of 
regiments  furnished  by  the  State.  The  regiment  after  it 
was  organized  consisted  of  twelve  companies  of  one  hun 
dred  men  each,  six  squadrons  of  two  companies  each,  three 
battalions  of  four  companies  each,  and  a  band  of  fifteen 
pieces.  The  counties  which  contributed  to  the  formation  of 
the  regiment  were  as  follows,  viz.,  Company  A,  Beaver; 
Company  B,  Susquehanna ;  Company  C,  Lancaster ;  Com 
pany  D,  Bradford;  Company  E,  Lebanon;  Company  F, 
Cumberland;  Company  G,  Franklin;  Company  H,  Schuyl- 
kill;  Company  I,  Perry  and  the  city  of  Philadelphia;  Com 
pany  K,  Luzerne ;  Company  L,  Montgomery  and  Chester ; 
Company  M,  Wayne. 

REPORTING  FOR  SERVICE. 

All  of  these  companies  reported  to  Pennsylvania's  great 
war  governor,  Andrew  G.  Curtin,  about  the  same  time  with 
only  temporary  organizations  and  were  quartered  in  Camp 
Curtin.  The  work  of  effecting  permanent  organizations  and 
mustering  of  the  men  into  the  United  States  service  was 
cnly  a  question  of  a  short  time. 

After  these  companies  were  permanently  organized  they 
were  commanded  as  follows:  Company  A,  Captain  D.  M. 
Donnehoo;  Company  B,  Captain  D.  E.  Whitney;  Company 

390 


REVIEW  OF  THE  REGIMENT 

C,  Captain  W.  H.  Spera ;  Company  D,  Captain  C.  H.  Ames ; 
Company  E,  Captain  William  Tice;  Company  F,  Captain 
Charles  Lee;  Company  G,  Captain  L.  B.  Kurtz;  Company 
H,  Captain  William  Thompson;  Company  I,  Captain  J.  B. 
McCallister;  Company  K,  Captain  R.  Fitzgerald;  Company 
L,  Captain  D.  B.  Hartranft ;  Company  M,  Captain  Coe  Dur- 
land. 

Of  all  the  above-mentioned  captains,  William  Tice  was  the 
only  one  who  remained  with  his  company  from  the  begin 
ning  until  the  end  of  service,  for  the  reason  that  he  was 
pkdged  to  remain  with  his  company  as  long  as  his  physical 
ability  would  permit  him  to  do  so.  And  the  fact  that  he 
was  mustered  out  regularly  with  his  company,  showed  how 
faithfully  he  carried  out  his  pledge. 

EFFECTING  AN  ORGANIZATION. 

On  the  1 8th  day  of  October,  1862,  a  regimental  organiza 
tion  was  effected  and  the  following  commissioned  officers 
placed  in  command,  viz.,  Colonel,  J.  H.  Kellogg;  lieutenant- 
colonel,  J.  B.  McCallister;  majors,  D.  B.  Hartranft,  Coe 
Durland  and  R.  R.  Reinhold;  surgeon  Major  Isaac  Wai- 
burn;  adjutant,  Lieutenant  P.  J.  Tate;  quartermaster,  Lieu 
tenant  John  Anglan;  commissary,  Lieutenant  H.  M.  Donne- 
hoo;  chaplain,  Rev.  H.  A.  Wheeler. 

Being  only  a  private  at  the  tail  end  of  my  company,  young 
and  inexperienced,  I  was  not  supposed  to  know  very  much 
about  the  regimental  line  officers,  but  I  have  every  reason  to 
believe  that  these  officers  were  entirely  satisfactory  to  the 
men.  The  regiment  certainly  was  most  fortunate  in  being 
placed  in  charge  of  an  experienced  regular  army  officer, 
Captain  Josiah  H.  Kellogg  of  the  First  U.  S.  Cavalry,  who 
was  a  most  thorough  tactician  and  soon  brought  the  regi 
ment  to  a  high  standard  of  proficiency. 

After  the  organization  was  completed,  the  regiment  left 
Camp  Curtin  and  established  their  first  camp  about  two 
miles  north  of  Harrisburg,  known  as  Camp  McClellan.  It 
was  in  this  camp  that  we  were  furnished  with  horses,  sabres 

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and  other  equipments,  after  which  we  were  subjected  to 
regular  military  discipline.  Drill,  guard  and  other  military 
duties  commenced  in  earnest,  and  seemingly  nothing  was 
left  undone  to  bring  the  regiment  up  to  the  highest  standard 
of  military  discipline.  And  as  my  memory  goes  back  to  that 
splendid  line  of  1,200  men,  on  an  evening's  dress  parade,  and 
compares  them  with  the  small  number  assembled  here  to 
day,  surely  there  is  a  big  contrast. 

AWAITING  ORDERS. 

We  were  now  expecting  orders  every  day  to  be  called  to 
the  front.  We  did  not  have  to  wait  long,  for  on  the  25th 
day  of  November  we  left  Camp  McClellan  for  Washington, 
D.  C,  and  pitched  our  second  camp  right  in  the  rear  of  the 
capitol  building,  known  as  Capitol  Hill.  Here  we  received 
our  little  shelter  tents,  better  known  as  "dog  tents."  Here, 
too,  the  regiment  received  orders  to  march  overland  to  join 
the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  We  bid  adieu  to  the  nation's 
capital,  passed  over  the  Long  Bridge  into  Virginia,  and  en 
camped  for  the  first  time  on  Virginia's  soil  on  Arlington 
Heights.  While  we  were  crossing  the  Long  Bridge,  the  first 
sergeant  of  our  company  (E),  who  frequently  posed  as  a 
prophet  (and  who  always  knew  the  details  of  the  movements 
of  the  army  and  what  would  happen),  as  he  rode  along  the 
flank  of  the  company,  putting  up  his  finger  with  his  usual 
emphasis,  said :  "Boys,  this  movement  of  the  regiment  means 
something;  many  a  poor  fellow  who  is  crossing  this  bridge 
today  will  never  recross  it."  It  is  needless  to  say,  his  pro 
phecy  was  verified  over  and  over  again,  he  himself  being  one 
of  the  men  who  never  recrossed. 

PITCHING  THE  DOG  TENTS. 

On  Arlington  Heights  we  pitched  our  little  dog  tents  for 
the  first  time.  A  bird's-eye  view  of  that  camp,  if  it  could  be 
reproduced  today,  would,  no  doubt,  be  one  of  the  rare  curi 
osities  of  the  Civil  War.  It  was  in  this  camp  we  received 
orders  to  send  home  all  surplus  baggage,  and  received  four 
days'  rations  and  forage  preparatory  to  our  march  to  the 
front.  All  the  sick  and  disabled  members  of  the  regiment 

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were  sent  to  the  hospital,  and,  on  the  2ist  day  of  December, 
we  were  on  our  way  to  join  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  On 
the  following  day,  upon  reaching  the  little  town  of  Occo- 
quan,  we  were  intercepted  by  Hampton's  Rebel  cavalry  and 
had  our  first  skirmish  with  the  enemy.  To  the  best  of  my 
knowledge,  there  were  no  very  serious  results  of  this,  our 
first  engagement,  and  the  regiment  went  into  camp  and  did 
picket  duty  for  the  first  time  in  the  enemy's  country.  I  very 
well  remember  my  experience  as  a  picket  that  night.  I  took 
my  turn  with  two  other  comrades  on  outpost,  picketing  a 
public  road,  with  instructions  to  shoot  anything  that  would 
present  itself  in  my  front.  On  the  one  side  of  the  road 
was  a  thick  woods.  The  wind  was  pretty  high,  the  night 
was  pitch  dark,  and  every  little  noise  I  heard  in  the  woods 
I  imagined  were  so  many  Johnny  Rebs.  The  next  day  we 
devoted  to  scouring  the  country  in  search  of  the  enemy  who 
had  intercepted  our  march  the  day  before,  and  while  we  had 
evidences  that  we  were  on  their  trail,  we  never  overtook 
them,  so  we  returned  to  Occoquan  again  and  went  into 
camp.  The  following  day,  Companies  C,  D  and  I,  with 
Major  Reinhold  in  command,  were  detailed  to  remain  at 
Occoquan  Creek  for  picket  duty,  while  the  balance  of  the 
regiment  continued  the  march  to  the  front.  When  these 
companies  joined  the  regiment  again,  the  air  was  full  of  all 
sorts  of  reports  as  to  how  Hampton's  Legions  had  returned 
to  Occoquan  and  attacked  these  companies  in  vastly  su 
perior  numbers,  and  how  the  military  movements  there  and 
then  made  by  Major  Reinhold  and  his  associate  officers  pre 
vented  the  whole  squadron  from  being  captured.  When  the 
regiment  reached  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  it  was  assigned 
to  picket  duty  in  the  vicinity  of  Stafford  Court  House.  And 
who  of  us  does  not  remember  Muddy  Stafford !  Our  men 
were  then  inexperienced  in  the  art  military  and  subjected  to 
the  most  arduous  military  duties.  It  was  not  an  unusual 
thing  to  hear  the  call  of  "Boots  and  Saddles"  any  hour  of  the 
night,  calling  out  the  entire  regiment  in  support  of  attacks 
made  upon  our  pickets  by  guerrillas  and  bushwhackers,  fre 
quently  followed  by  useless  reconnoissances  in  search  of  the 
enemy  that  we  never  found. 

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ARMY  OF  THE  POTOMAC. 

In  the  reorganization  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  and 
the  formation  of  the  Cavalry  Corps,  some  time  in  January, 
1863,  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  was  assigned 
to  the  Second  Brigade  of  the  First  Division  of  the  Cavalry 
Corps,  and  had  for  its  associates  in  the  brigade,  the  Fourth 
New  York,  the  Sixth  New  York  and  the  Eighth  Pennsyl 
vania  Cavalry  regiments,  with  Colonel  Thomas  C.  Devin  as 
the  brigade  commander.  With  this  brigade  the  regiment 
was  continuously  identified,  and  participated  in  all  the  prin 
cipal  battles  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and  later  of  the 
Army  of  the  Shenandoah  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Just 
when  the  Fourth  New  York  and  the  Eighth  Pennsylvania 
dropped  out  of  the  brigade  and  the  Ninth  New  York  came 
in,  I  do  not  remember ;  but  I  do  know  that  the  Ninth  New 
York  was  associated  with  us  during  the  greater  period  of 
our  service,  and  that  the  relations  between  the  Ninth  New 
York  and  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  were  most  cordial. 

When  the  spring  campaign  of  1863  opened,  General 
Hooker  dispatched  nearly  all  his  cavalry  to  the  rear  of  Gen 
eral  Lee's  army  to  destroy  his  communication  with  Rich 
mond.  The  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  however, 
was  one  of  the  regiments  which  accompanied  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  to  Chancellorsville.  Here  the  regiment  really 
received  its  first  baptism  of  fire.  Well  do  I  remember  the 
whiz  of  the  minnie  balls,  the  shriek  of  the  solid  shots,  and 
the  screams  of  the  bursted  shells  on  that  occasion.  It  was 
music  that  tried  men's  souls.  In  my  judgment,  the  evening 
of  May  2,  1863,  the  regiment  witnessed  one  of  the  most  dis 
astrous  defeats  during  its  entire  service.  It  was  the  occa 
sion  of  the  Eleventh  Corps  in  full  retreat  before  General 
Jackson's  corps  of  the  Rebel  army,  driving  everything  be 
fore  them.  It  was  at  this  stage  of  the  battle  that  our  regi 
ment  was  placed  in  a  most  critical  position,  being  deployed, 
in  single  file,  with  drawn  sabres  in  support  of  the  artillery, 
who  were  then  heavily  engaged,  with  orders  to  the  regiment 
to  charge  the  enemy  in  case  they  reached  our  guns.  Gen 
eral  Pleasonton,  in  his  official  report  on  this  engagement, 

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said:  "I  have  no  doubt  that  the  Rebels  took  this  line  for 
the  head  of  the  heavy  column,  and  thus  the  artillery,  sup 
ported  by  this  single  line  of  cavalry,  checked  them."  Pleas- 
onton  further  comments  upon  the  gallantry  of  the  regi 
ment  by  saying:  "It  was  a  trying  position  for  the  regiment, 
but  the  firm  front  presented,  and  the  coolness  displayed  by 
the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  in  supporting  the 
batteries  and  rallying  fugitives,  saved  the  day  ..and  excited 
the  highest  admiration." 

The  next  important  engagement  in  which  the  regiment 
took  part  was  the  great  cavalry  fight  at  Beverly  Ford,  June 
9th.  In  this  engagement  the  regiment  again  supported  the 
artillery  and  was  under  heavy  artillery  fire  all  day.  In  the 
retreat  crossing  the  river,  the  regiment  was  the  rear  guard, 
when  it  was  especially  subjected  to  the  heavy  artillery  fire 
from  the  enemy.  It  was  in  this  fight  that  the  regiment  lost 
its  first  commissioned  line  officer,  Major  Walburn,  who  was 
so  badly  wounded  that  he  was  disabled  from  further  mili 
tary  service. 

On  the  24th  day  of  May,  Captain  William  Thompson, 
with  Companies  H  and  D,  was  detailed  for  duty  at  Fifth 
Corps  headquarters,  commanded  by  General  Meade. 

BANKS  OF  THE  RAPPAHANNOCK. 

Next  we  find  the  regiment  on  picket  duty,  picketing  the 
Rappahannock  River  from  Beverly  Ford  to  White  Sulphur 
Springs.  And  while  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  was  now  on 
a  forced  march  north,  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cav 
alry  was  the  last  regiment  to  withdraw  from  the  Rebel  front 
on  the  Rappahannock  River,  thus  forming  the  extreme  rear 
guard  of  Hooker's  army.  I  wonder  how  many  comrades 
are  here  today,  who  remember  the  forced  march  during  the 
night  from  the  Rappahannock  River  to  Cattlett's  Station. 
The  night  was  very  dark,  and  the  dust  must  have  been  eight 
to  ten  inches  deep.  It  was  almost  impossible  for  any  one  to 
see  his  file  leader.  When  we  arrived  near  Cattlett's  Station, 
just  about  dawn,  the  column  was  halted,  and  a  reconnoiter- 
ing  party  sent  out,  for  it  was  supposed  that  the  enemy  might 
have  reached  the  station  before  we  did.  The  command  was 

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passed  along  the  line  quietly  to  dismount  and  stand  to  horse, 
but  the  men  were  so  exhausted  and  tired  out,  that,  with 
bridle  rein  in  hand,  they  lay  down  in  the  dust  in  front  of 
their  horses  and  went  to  sleep,  and  it  was  with  some  diffi 
culty  that  some  were  awakened  when  the  column  continued 
the  march.  All  the  way  from  Cattlett's  Station  to  the  Poto 
mac  River  was  disputed  territory,  and  in  rapid  succession 
the  battles  of  Aldie,  Upperville,  Middleburg  and  Goose 
Creek  were  fought,  in  all  of  which  the  regiment  was  engag 
ed.  The  regiment,  with  other  troops,  crossed  the  Potomac 
River  at  Edward's  Ferry  into  Maryland,  marching  thence  in 
the  direction  of  Frederick  City.  It  was  here  that  we  learned 
that  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  had  changed  commanders, 
and  that  General  Meade  had  superseded  General  Hooker. 
A  few  days  later  we  crossed  the  boundary  line  into  the  loyal 
State  of  Pennsylvania.  In  our  own  State  we  were  met  by 
loyal  citizens,  who  loudly  cheered  us,  which  encouraged  us 
greatly.  As  long  as  my  memory  will  serve  me,  I  will  re 
member  the  sentinel,  a  member  of  Company  G,  who  stood 
with  his  guidon,  designating  the  dividing  line  between  the 
States  of  Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  and  how  the  boys 
raised  their  caps  and  cheered  for  Old  Gtory  and  the  patri 
otic  State  of  Pennsylvania. 

BACK  IN  PENNSYLVANIA. 

On  the  night  of  June  29th,  the  regiment  encamped  upon 
Pennsylvania  soil,  about  eight  miles  from  Waynesboro,  al 
most  in  sight  of  the  homes  of  the  members  of  Company  G. 
I  heard  Colonel  Bean,  in  a  public  address,  make  the  state 
ment  that  Captain  Kurtz,  commanding  Company  G,  asked 
permission  at  this  time  to  allow  his  men  to  visit  their  homes 
during  the  night,  and  that  this  permission  was  granted  upon 
condition  that  every  member  of  the  company  must  report 
for  duty  again  at  sunrise  the  following  morning;  and  that, 
to  the  credit  of  Company  G,  it  could  truthfully  be  said  that 
every  member  of  the  company  answered  roll  call  the  next 
morning. 

The  next  morning  the  march  was  continued  in  the  direc 
tion  of  Gettysburg,  which  town  was  reached  some  time  in 

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the  afternoon.  Our  regiment  being  in  the  advance  that  day, 
we  were  the  first  troops  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  to 
reach  Gettysburg,  and  the  following  morning  were  the  first 
troops  engaged  in  the  fight.  Surely  all  who  were  with  the 
regiment  at  this  time  will  remember  the  welcome  to  Gettys 
burg.  The  citizens  cheered  us,  they  opened  their  houses  to 
us,  they  sang  patriotic  songs  for  us,  they  entertained  us  and 
fed  us  with  the  best  they  had.  If  we  compare  this  recep 
tion  to  the  receptions  we  were  accustomed  to  receive  on  Vir 
ginia's  soil,  what  a  contrast!  I  have  no  doubt  it  was  this 
royal  welcome,  from  loyal  people,  in  our  own  State,  which 
inspired  the  boys  in  blue  with  a  determination  to  drive  the 
Rebel  host  from  Pennsylvania's  soil  at  any  cost. 

And  now  what  shall  we  say  of  the  part  our  regiment  took 
in  this  greatest  of  all  battles  in  checking  the  onward  march 
of  the  gigantic  Southern  invasion  upon  Northern  soil?  So 
fierce  was  the  main  conflict  of  the  infantry  and  artillery  on 
the  second  and  third  days'  fighting,  that  the  first  days'  fight, 
and  especially  the  part  taken  by  the  cavalry,  is  frequently 
passed  by  unnoticed.  And  because  the  Union  lines  were 
obliged  to  retire  during  the  afternoon  of  the  first  day's  fight, 
I  always  felt  that  the  historian  fails  to  give  the  credit  due  to 
the  troopers  who  so  stubbornly  resisted  the  enemy,  and  only 
yielded  their  ground  because  they  were  outnumbered  at 
least  three  to  one.  Had  it  not  been  for  the  determined  re 
sistance  of  the  cavalry  forces  on  the  morning  of  the  first 
day's  fight,  which  held  the  enemy  in  check  until  the  infantry 
were  placed  in  position  on  Seminary  Ridge,  the  result  of  the 
battle  of  Gettysburg  might  have  been  very  much  different. 
Some  would  have  us  believe  that  Pickett's  charge,  Little 
Round  Top,  Devil's  Den,  the  Wheat  Field,  the  Peach  Or 
chard,  or  Gulp's  Hill,  were  the  only  events  in  the  history  of 
the  battle  of  Gettysburg  worthy  of  special  mention.  Take 
any  one  of  these  engagements,  and  while  they  were  no  doubt 
fierce,  yet  they  were  only  of  short  duration,  like  a  thunder 
storm,  which  soon  passes  over ;  while  during  the  first  day's 
fight  it  was  a  steady,  unceasing  downpour. 

I  venture  the  assertion  that  the  records  of  the  war  no 
where  show  more  gallant  and  persistent  fighting  than  on  the 

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first  day's  fight  at  Gettysburg.  Remember,  too,  that  the  first 
day's  fight  was  chiefly  noted  for  flank  movements  on  the 
part  of  the  Rebel  army.  When  they  could  not  penetrate 
our  lines,  with  the  large  number  of  men  they  had  on  the 
field,  they  could  easily  outflank  our  lines,  and  thus  compel 
our  troops  to  fall  back.  To  cover  these  frequent  flank  move 
ments,  our  forces  were  entirely  inadequate,  and  our  com 
mands  had  to  be  cut  up,  and  were  frequently  divided.  For 
instance,  our  regiment  had  one  squadron  that  day  at  Gen 
eral  Meade's  headquarters,  one  squadron  was  supporting  a 
battery  the  greater  part  of  the  day,  while  the  remainder  of 
the  regiment  occupied  a  number  of  important  positions  on 
the  field.  Excepting  the  squadron  at  General  Meade's  head 
quarters,  under  command  of  Captain  Thompson,  the  regi 
ment  was  again  reunited  in  the  evening  and  formed  on 
Cemetery  Hill,  covering  the  Emmitsburg  Road.  During 
the  night  the  regiment  changed  positions  and  in  the  morning 
was  in  line  of  battle  to  the  left  of  the  Emmitsburg  Road,  in 
the  rear  of  the  famous  Peach  Orchard.  Almost  immediate 
ly  after  daylight  we  were  exchanging  compliments  with  the 
enemy  and  held  -them  in  check  until  relieved  by  the  Third 
Corps,  commanded  by  General  Sickles.  We  then  moved  to 
the  left  flank  and  continued  the  line  to  Little  Round  Top, 
and  advanced  in  skirmish  line  through  the  Wheat  Field, 
around  Devil's  Den,  and  through  the  woods  in  front,  and 
finally  passed  through  Vincent  Spur  to  the  extreme  left  of 
the  Union  army,  guarding  General  Meade's  supply  trains, 
which  were  threatened  by  the  Rebel  cavalry. 

ON  THE  MOVE  DAY  AND  NIGHT. 

After  the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  the  main  army  of  General 
Meade  had  a  little  lull,  but  not  the  cavalry.  Day  after  day, 
and  night  after  night,  were  the  cavalry  on  the  move,  watch 
ing  the  enemy's  movements,  until  General  Lee  had  not  only 
recrossed  the  Potomac,  but  continued  his  southern  retreat 
until  he  was  again  on  his  own  fighting-ground  beyond  the 
Rappahannock  River.  In  all  of  these  pursuits  our-  regiment 
did  its  full  share  of  the  hard  and  perilous  duties  which  fell 
to  the  lot  of  the  cavalry  at  that  time.  Time  will  not  permit 

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to  go  into  details  of  all  the  engagements  in  which  the  regi 
ment  participated  during  Lee's  retreat.  I  simply  mention 
them  in  the  order  given  by  Colonel  Bean  in  his  "Roll  of 
Honor." 

"Williamsport,  July  6th ;  Funcktown,  July  7th ;  Beaver 
Creek,  July  8th ;  Boonsboro,  July  9th ;  Falling  Waters,  July 
I4th;  Brandy  Station,  August  ist;  Brandy  Station,  Septem 
ber  I4th;  Raccoon's  Ford,  September  1/j.th;  Barnett's  Ford, 
September  2oth;  Morton's  Ford,  October  nth." 

On  the  27th  day  of  August,  1863,  Captain  Thompson, 
with  Companies  H  and  D,  again  returned  to  the  regiment. 
And,  as  my  memory  serves  me  now,  in  one  of  the  skir 
mishes,  either  at  Barnett's  Ford  or  Morton's  Ford,  Lieuten 
ant-colonel  Anderson  was  slightly  wounded  in  the  arm,  but 
continued  in  command  of  the  regiment,  he  having  his  wound 
dressed  on  the  skirmish  line.  And  now  commenced  a  series 
of  almost  continued  fighting  and  marching  manoeuvers,  cov 
ering  General  Meade's  retreat  from  the  Rapidan  River  to 
Centreville,  when  the  Second  Brigade,  First  Cavalry  Divi 
sion,  was  selected  to  cover  the  retreat  of  the  main  army. 
You,  no  doubt,  remember  under  what  difficulties  and  how 
slowly  those  supply  trains  moved,  and  how  we  were  obliged 
at  Stephensburg,  Brandy  Station,  Rappahannock  Station, 
Oak  Hill,  Thoroughfare  Gap,  Liberty  and  Bealton  Station, 
to  hold  the  enemy  in  check  until  those  abominable  wagon 
trains  could  get  out  of  the  way.  Then  came  the  counter 
march,  driving  the  enemy  back  again,  almost  over  the  same 
ground,  fighting  the  battle  of  Rickseyville,  Mine  Run,  and 
all  the  way  back  again  to  the  Rapidan  River.  This  was  a 
campaign  of  great  activity,  in  which  the  regiment  sustained 
its  proportionate  share  of  losses  with  other  similar  com 
mands.  The  regiment  went  into  winter  quarters  at  Cul- 
pepper  Court  House,  and  did  picket  duty  during  the  winter 
months. 

On  the  27th  day  of  February,  1864,  General  Kilpatrick 
started  on  his  famous  raid  to  Richmond  with  5,000  select 
troopers,  of  which  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry- 
furnished  200  men,  under  command  of  Captain  Spera.  This 

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was  regarded  as  a  hazardous  undertaking,  and,  if  my  mem 
ory  serves  me  correctly,  the  expedition  was  a  failure,  rather 
than  a  success. 

BATTLE  OF  THE  WILDERNESS. 

Now  came  the  opening  of  the  spring  campaign  of  1864, 
and  the  first  of  a  series  of  engagements  was  the  battle  of 
the  Wilderness.  Several  important  flank  movements  of  the 
Army  of  the  Potomac  were  executed,  in  which  the  cavalry 
figured  prominently.  On  the  9th  day  of  May  the  cavalry 
corps  cut  loose  from  the  main  army  and  made  a  detour 
around  General  Lee's  right  flank  and  cut  his  communication 
with  Richmond.  Beaver  Dam  Station  was  the  first  point  of 
attack,  which  was  made  during  the  night,  where  two  Con 
federate  supply  trains  were  captured,  and  the  provisions 
which  were  intended  for  Lee's  army,  chiefly  of  meat  and 
flour,  were  now  used  to  replenish  our  own  haversacks.  It 
was  amusing  the  following  morning,  to  see  the  boys  having 
either  a  ham  or  a  piece  of  bacon  strapped  to  their  saddles. 
The  provisions  not  wanted  were,  of  course,  burned.  Here, 
too,  a  large  number  of  Union  prisoners  on  their  way  to 
Richmond  were  recaptured.  They  were  so  rejoiced  at  our 
coming  that  some  cheered,  some  laughed  and  some  wept  for 
joy.  Here,  too,  a  number  of  carloads  of  Union  arms,  cap 
tured  from  the  Union  army,  were  recaptured;  and  when 
these  cars  were  set  on  fire,  many  of  these  arms  being  load 
ed,  exploded,  and  for  a  little  while  created  quite  an  excite 
ment. 

Now  commenced  the  march  toward  Richmond,  and  the 
tearing  up  of  the  railroad.  We,  however,  did  not  get  very 
far  until  we  were  met  by  the  Rebel  cavalry,  and  had  sev 
eral  very  interesting  skirmishes  with  them.  The  battles  of 
Todd's  Tavern  and  Yellow  Tavern  were  fought,  where  the 
Rebel  General  Stuart  was  killed.  After  the  last-mentioned 
fight,  and  evidently  expecting  a  night  attack,  our  regiment 
was  deployed  as  skirmishers,  covering  the  pike  leading  into 
Richmond.  Early  the  next  morning,  before  daylight,  our 
troops  passed  through  our  skirmish  line  in  the  direction  of 
Richmond  until  we  were  inside  of  the  outer  line  of  the  city's 

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entrenchments.  The  head  of  the  column  then  filed  to  the 
left  in  the  direction  of  the  Chickahominy  River,  where  the 
Rebel  cavalry  again  intercepted  our  march. 

Now  came  a  critical  period.  The  bridge  across  the  river 
was  poorly  constructed,  partially  destroyed,  and  barricaded 
by  the  enemy  on  the  opposite  side.  It  was  with  considerable 
difficulty  that  the  bridge  was  reconstructed,  as  it  had  to  be 
done  under  the  fire  of  the  Rebel  skirmishers.  It  was  only 
by  the  continued  shelling  of  the  Rebel  skirmishers  by  our 
batteries  that  the  work  was  finally  completed.  As  soon  as 
the  bridge  was  finished,  it  was  our  regiment  which,  dismount 
ed,  first  charged  over  the  bridge  and  dislodged  the  Rebel 
skirmishers  from  their  temporary  breastworks.  The  first 
charge  was  a  failure,  but  in  the  second  we  drove  them  out  of 
their  works  and  completely  routed  them.  It  was  in  this  fight 
that  Captain  Shultz  was  killed.  In  the  meantime  the  enemy 
brought  out  such  reserve  forces  as  were  available  in  the  city 
of  Richmond,  and  pressed  our  rear  and  right  flank  very 
hard,  almost  surrounding  our  forces.  For  several  hours  it 
was  a  fearful  struggle.  Shot  and  shell  fell  thick  and  fast 
from  the  front  and  rear  as  well.  So  critical  was  the  condi 
tion  at  one  time  that  General  Custer,  commanding  the 
Michigan  Brigade,  in  order  to  cheer  his  men,  ordered  his 
band  to  the  front  and  had  them  play  the  "Star  Spangled 
Banner"  in  the  midst  of  the  fight. 

The  expedition,  after  having  been  within  the  Rebel  lines 
for  about  two  weeks,  rejoined  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at 
Chesterfield,  May  25th.  The  troops  went  into  camp,  ex 
pecting  a  few  days  of  rest,  but,  on  the  27th,  we  were  again 
in  our  saddles.  We  crossed  the  Pamunkey  River  and  en 
gaged  the  enemy  at  Hanovertown,  and  after  several  charges 
drove  them  from  their  position.  On  the  28th  the  battle  of 
Hawe's  Shop  was  fought ;  and  again,  on  the  3Oth,  the  battle 
of  Old  Church  was  fought,  where  the  regimental  quarter 
master,  Lieutenant  Anglun,  was  killed,  and  Captain  Tice 
was  wounded.  Then,  on  the  3ist,  followed  the  battle  of 
Cold  Harbor,  in  which  the  tables  were  turned,  and  we  were 
badly  repulsed.  The  fight  was  renewed  the  following  morn 
ing,  when  an  assault  was  made  upon  our  lines  by  the  enemy. 

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We  again  defeated  them  with  heavy  losses.  The  fields  in 
front  of  our  lines  were  covered  with  their  dead.  But  the 
much-needed  rest  for  both  men  and  horses  did  not  come 
yet,  for  we  are  again  in  the  saddle. 

This  time  we  are  off  on  the  expedition  known  as  the  Tre- 
vilian  Raid,  marching  day  and  night.  While  on  this  march 
the  regiment  was  sent  on  a  special  errand  to  the  old  Spott- 
sylvania  battlefield,  where  it  was  reported  that  some  thirty- 
five  Union  prisoners  were  famishing  in  a  hospital.  These 
prisoners  were  brought  away  by  the  regiment.  The  regiment 
rejoined  the  command  again  at  Trevilian  Station,  June  nth, 
and  found  it  engaged  with  the  enemy,  evidently  in  superior 
numbers.  Immediately  upon  our  arrival,  we  were  sent  to 
the  front  and  became  hotly  engaged,  sustaining  heavy  losses. 
General  Sheridan,  who  was  in  command  of  the  expedition, 
finding  the  enemy  too  strong,  returned  to  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac.  On  the  return  march,  we  were  frequently  annoy 
ed  by  the  Rebel  cavalry,  who  followed  us,  and  before  we 
reached  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  the  following  engage 
ments  were  fought :  White  House  Landing,  June  22d ; 
Jones'  Bridge,  June  23d;  Charles  City  Court  House,  June 
24th.  In  each  of  these  engagements  the  regiment  sustained 
considerable  losses. 

On  the  26th  of  June,  the  expedition  crossed  the  James 
River,  and  we  were  once  more  with  the  Army  of  the  Poto 
mac.  Here  we  received  blank  muster  and  pay  rolls,  and 
were  ordered  to  have  them  prepared  for  pay.  But  I  dis 
tinctly  remember,  while  in  the  act  of  making  out  the  com 
pany's  rolls,  the  old  familiar  call  of  "Boots  and  Saddles" 
was  heard,  and  we  were  hustled  out  of  camp  with  the  great 
est  possible  speed  in  support  of  General  Wilson,  command 
ing  the  Third  Cavalry  Division,  who,  it  was  reported,  had 
been  badly  defeated  in  an  engagement  along  the  Weldon 
Railroad.  We  arrived  too  late  to  take  a  hand  in  the  fight, 
and,  as  the  enemy  did  not  follow  up  their  victory  to  any  ex 
tent,  we  again  went  into  camp,  finished  our  pay  rolls,  and 
received  our  $13  a  month  pay. 

We  finally  did  get  a  few  weeks'  rest.  But  on  July  27th 
we  were  again  on  the  march.  This  time  we  crossed  the 

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James  River  and  advanced,  on  the  other  side,  in  the  direc 
tion  of  Richmond.  We  engaged  the  enemy  at  Darbytown 
and  completely  routed  them.  On  the  night  of  the  33th,  we 
recrossed  the  river  and  took  a  position  under  cover,  in  the 
rear  of  the  fortifications  confronting  Petersburg,  awaiting  the 
blowing  up  of  a  Confederate  fort,  which  was  to  have  occurred 
shortly  after  midnight,  but  did  not  take  place  until  about 
seven  o'clock  in  the  morning  (as  my  memory  serves  me 
now).  For  some  reason,  which  has  been  a  subject  of  much 
public  controversy,  this  attack  was  a  failure.  Surely  the 
cavalry  could  not  be  of  any  service  in  this  engagement,  so 
we  were  relegated  to  the  rear  and  went  into  camp  near  City 
Point.  About  this  time,  General  Sheridan  was  transferred 
to  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah,  and,  as  there  was  very 
little  for  the  cavalry  to  do  in  the  rear  of  the  heavy  fortifica 
tions  in  front  of  Petersburg,  the  First  and  Third  Divisions 
of  the  Cavalry  Corps  were  transferred  from  the  Army  of 
the  Potomac  to  the  Army  of  the  Shenandoah.  From  City 
Point  we  were  taken  on  government  transports  to  Wash 
ington,  and  thence,  overland  route,  to  Harper's  Ferry. 
Some  of  you  may  remember  how  the  boys  enjoyed 
themselves  the  night  we  marched  through  the  streets  of 
Washington. 

We  did  not  have  to  wait  long  for  something  to  do  in  our 
new  field  of  operation,  for,  on  the  nth  day  of  August,  with 
the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  in  advance,  the  army 
moved  up  the  Shenandoah  Valley.  At  White  Post  we 
found  the  enemy  and  drove  them  back  as  far  as  Newtown, 
where  they  seemed  determined  to  resist  our  further  advance. 
The  regiment  was  ordered  to  charge,  and,  after  a  brisk  little 
fight,  the  enemy  was  completely  routed.  We  now  moved  to 
near  Front  Royal,  where  we  again  dislodged  them  with 
heavy  losses.  In  this  engagement,  you  will  remember,  Gen 
eral  Devin,  our  brigade  commander,  was  wounded — shot  in 
the  toe,  as  I  remember  it.  We  still  pushed  forward  to  near 
Kearnville,  where  we  met  the  enemy  in  full  force,  and, 
after  a  sharp  engagement,  we  not  only  failed  to  dislodge 
them,  but  were  driven  back  with  heavy  losses  on  our  side. 
In  this  engagement  Colonel  Durland  and  Captain  Thomp- 

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son  were  wounded.  We  retreated  in  the  direction  of 
Shepherdstown,  and  the  enemy  followed  us  so  closely  that 
we  could  hardly  get  away  from  them.  In  one  of  the  charges 
we  made,  Lieutenant  Potter  was  killed.  From  this  time 
on,  almost  continual  skirmishing  and  reconnoitering  was 
kept  up,  which  finally  led  up  to  the  battle  of  Winchester, 
September  19.  The  part  taken  by  the  regiment  in  this 
ever-memorable  fight  is  briefly  told  as  follows :  The  First 
Division  of  the  Cavalry  Corps  was  massed  on  the  extreme 
light  of  Sheridan's  infantry.  At  a  certain  signal,  the  whoje 
division  moved  forward  in  the  following  order,  viz. :  The 
Second  Brigade  in  advance  of  the  division,  and  the  Seven 
teenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  in  advance  of  the  Second  Bri 
gade.  In  regimental  front  we  moved  forward  with  such  a 
shout  as  I  had  never  heard  before,  carrying  everything 
before  it.  The  enemy  evidently  were  not  prepared  for  such 
a  flank  movement;  their  lines  gave  way  and  were  driven 
up  the  valley  in  the  direction  of  Winchester  in  great  con 
fusion,  sustaining  heavy  losses.  The  retreat  of  the  Rebel 
army  over  the  hills  of  Winchester  was  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  sights  I  Saw  in  all  of  my  military  experience.  This 
battle  was  the  high  water  mark  of  the  rebellion  in  the  Shen- 
andoah  Valley. 

The  following  morning  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  report 
to  Colonel  E.  O.  Edwards,  who  was  post  commander  at  Win 
chester,  while  the  main  army  followed  the  Rebel  retreat  up 
the  Shenandoah  Valley.  The  regiment  here  served  in  the 
capacity  of  a  reserve  post,  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  open 
the  line  of  communication  between  the  base  of  supply  be 
tween  Harper's  Ferry,  Martinsburg  and  the  front,  and  to 
guard  against  the  frequent  attacks  of  Mosby's  guerrillas. 
This,  as  you  all  know,  was  Mosby's  stamping-ground,  his 
forces  being  composed  of  from  three  hundred  to  five  hun 
dred  guerrillas  and  bushwackers.  They  were  citizens  by 
day  and  bushwackers  by  night.  They  would  send  their 
spies  within  the  Union  lines  during  the  day  and  get  all 
the  information  they  could,  and  then  with  a  sufficient  num 
ber  of  men,  they  would  surround  and  capture  our  pickets 
or  would  lie  in  ambush  and  capture  our  patrols.  When 

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pursued,  they  would  scatter  to  their  homes  and  were  citi 
zens.  To  keep  open  the  line  of  communication  from  Mar- 
tinsburg  and  Harper's  Ferry  to  the  front,  required  almost 
unceasing  service.  It  was  nothing  unusual  for  men  who  had 
returned  from  details  to  be  called  out  again  the  same  day  or 
the  same  night,  neither  was  it  unusual  to  hear  reports  of  a  de 
tail  being  bushwacked  or  fired  upon  from  ambush,  and,  on  a 
number  of  occasions,  entire  details  were  either  captured  or 
killed.  I  venture  to  say,  the  regiment  during  that  period  of 
five  or  six  weeks'  duty  at  Winchester,  lost  more  men  than  in 
any  one  year  of  its  most  active  service.  We  all  rejoiced  when 
the  order  came  to  report  again  to  our  old  brigade  comman 
der,  General  Devin.  An  item  of  special  interest,  which 
occurred  while  we  were  stationed  at  Winchester,  was  the 
fact  that  Major  Spera,  with  a  detachment  from  the  regi 
ment,  had  the  distinguished  honor  of  escorting  General 
Sheridan  from  Martinsburg  to  Winchester,  where  he  re 
mained  all  night,  and  again  accompanied  him  the  next  morn 
ing  on  his  famous  ride  to  the  front. 

On  the  i Qth  day  of  December,  1864,  the  regiment  start 
ed  on  what  was  then  known  as  the  Gordonsville  Raid,  com 
manded  by  General  Torbett.  We  marched  up  the  valley  as 
far  as  Front  Royal,  where  we  crossed  over  into  Loudon 
Valley,  and  thence  up  the  valley  to  White  Ford,  where  we 
met  the  enemy,  and  by  continued  skirmishing,  drove 
them  back  to  Gordonsville,  where  we  were  met  by 
their  infantry  in  force,  and  we  were  obliged  to 
fall  back.  In  this  retreat  the  Seventeenth  Regiment  was 
the  rear  guard,  and  was  obliged,  three  or  four  times  dur 
ing  the  day,  to  check  the  attacks  upon  its  rear  column.  In 
one  of  these  attacks,  Lieutenant  Lee  was  killed.  When  the 
regiment  returned  to  their  old  camp,  near  Winchester,  there 
was  good  news.  Colonel  Kellogg,  who  had  been  absent  from 
the  regiment  for  a  long  time,  had  resigned,  and  the  fol 
lowing  much-merited  promotions  were  announced,  viz. : 
Lieutenant-colonel  Anderson  was  promoted  to  colonel; 
Major  Durland  was  made  lieutenant-colonel;  Captains 
Kurtz  and  Thompson  were  made  majors.  A  number  of 

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other  promotions  were  also  made,  which  I  cannot  now  re 
call. 

On  the  3ist  day  of  December,  1864,  the  entire  Second 
Brigade  of  the  First  Cavalry  Division  was  sent  via  Harper's 
Ferry  into  the  Loudon  Valley,  and  went  into  winter  quar 
ters  near  Lovettsville,  doing  picket  duty.  Here  we  had 
fairly  good  quarters,  and  the  men  and  horses  had  a  good 
opportunity  to  rest  for  the  spring  campaign  which  so  soon 
followed. 

On  the  24th  day  of  February,  1865,  General  Sheridan 
started  with  his  whole  cavalry  force  upon  an  expedition, 
known  as  the  James  River  Canal  Raid,  and  again  cut  Lee's 
rear  communications.  The  work  of  destruction  commenced 
at  Scottsville,  where  locks  were  blown  up,  whilst  mills  and 
supplies  of  all  kinds  were  destroyed.  This  was  an  eventful 
expedition.  Almost  constantly  in  the  saddle,  we  encountered 
continued  rains,  muddy  roads,  swollen  streams,  and  other  ob 
structions,  all  of  which  were  faced  and  endured  by  the 
men  with  the  usual  soldierly  patience. 

After  the  cavalry  had  successfully  accomplished  its  mis 
sion  in  Lee's  rear,  we  joined  hands  again  with  the  Army 
of  the  Potomac  and  participated  in  the  final  windup  of  the 
Southern  Confederacy.  The  curtain  of  the  last  act  of  this 
wonderful  drama  was  raised  upon  a  series  of  spirited  en 
gagements  with  scarcely  any  intermissions.  I  will  simply 
name  the  engagements  in  which  the  regiment  participated  in 
their  regular  order,  viz. :  Stony  Creek,  March  30 ;  Dinwiddie 
Court  House,  March  3ist;  Five  Forks,  April  ist;  Scott's 
Cross  Roads,  April  2d ;  Drummon's  Mill,  April  4th ;  Sailor's 
Creek,  April  6th ;  Appomattox  Station,  April  8th ;  Appo- 
mattox  Court  House,  April  9th. 

At  Five  Forks  the  loss  of  the  regiment  was  severe.  It 
was  here  that  Captain  Ham  was  mortally  wounded.  English, 
Donnehoo,  Reinhold,  Anglun  and  other  commissioned  offi 
cers  were  also  wounded.  And  right  here,  permit  me  to  say 
tc  my  comrades  of  the  rank  and  file,  because  I  made  frequent 
mention  of  the  commissioned  officers  who  were  either 
killed  or  wounded,  I  would  not  have  you  think  that  they 
were  more  worthy  of  mention  than  the  men  who  wore  the 

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chevron  or  the  plain  blouse  of  the  private  soldier.  It  was 
the  bravery  and  heroism  of  the  men  who  carried  the  musket 
and  the  carbine  that  made  it  possible  for  the  commissioned 
officers  to  receive  the  favorable  mention  so  frequently  ac 
corded  them.  And  to  the  rank  and  file  more  than  to  the 
men  who  wore  the  shoulder  straps,  the  eagle  and  the  stars, 
i&  our  country  indebted  for  the  glorious  victories  achieved 
and  the  preservation  of  our  national  integrity  and  unity. 

But  the  war  is  over.  No  more  battles.  In  a  few  weeks 
we  are  on  our  way  home.  We  reach  the  city  of  Washing 
ton  and  stop  long  enough  in  the  nation's  capital  to  pass  once 
more  in  grand  review,  and  present  arms  for  the  last  time 
to  our  commander-in-chief.  And  who  of  us  does  not  re 
member  the  23d  day  of  May,  1865 !  Pennsylvania  avenue 
was  packed  and  crowded  with  enthusiastic  people.  The  air 
was  full  of  shouts  and  patriotic  music.  The  whole  country 
was  wild  with  joy.  The  brave  boys  that  were  left  were 
marching  home.  After  the  grand  review,  the  regiment  went 
into  camp  at  Cloud's  Mill,  just  beyond  Alexandria,  Va., 
where  it  was  mustered  out  of  the  service,  June  16,  1865, 
and  the  members  of  this  noble  organization,  after  an  aver 
age  service  of  about  1,000  days,  became  private  citizens 
again,  and  their  records  passed  into  history. 


407 


JACOB  POTTER. 

LIEUTENANT  COMPANY  G,  GREENCASTLE,  PENNSYLVANIA. 

On  the  evening  of  September  8,  1862,  Jacob  Potter,  H.  G. 
Bonebrake,  T.  H.  Trone  and  G.  H.  Foreman  met  in  the 
town  of  Waynesboro,  Pa.,  and  after  discussing  the  issues 
of  the  Civil  War,  determined  to  enter  the  military  service. 
They  at  once  went  to  the  office  of  Michael  H.  Stoner,  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  enrolled  their  names  on  the  muster 
roll  of  the  Waynesboro  Cavalry,  then  being  recruited  in 
Franklin  county.  The  company  later  became  identified  with 
the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  and  was 
designated  as  Company  G.  This  quartett  soon  became  boon 
companions  and  messed  together  until  the  spring  of  1865, 
when  Messrs.  Bonebrake  and  Potter  were  promoted  to 
the  rank  of  lieutenants. 

During  the  battle  of  Winchester,  September  19,  1864,  Mr. 
Potter,  who  was  then  quartermaster  sergeant  of  his  com 
pany,  performed  a  heroic  deed  which  won  for  him  his  pro 
motion  later.  In  a  charge  upon  the  enemy's  rearguard, 
the  Confederate  forces  turned  and  made  a  savage  attack 
upon  the  Union  cavalry,  who  were  compelled  to  retreat 
temporarily.  Sergeant  Potter  was  surrounded  by  the  Con 
federate  cavalry  and  his  surrender  was  demanded.  He  was 
well  mounted,  gave  his  horse  the  spurs,  cut  his  way  through 
the  Confederate  line  and  made  his  escape. 

When  the  regiment  was  mustered  out  of  service,  June  16, 
1865,  Lieutenant  Potter  was  retained  in  the  service  and 
transferred  to  the  deparment  in  Kentucky,  where  he  was 
mustered  out,  August  7,  1865. 

Lieutenant  Potter  was  born  near  Waynesboro,  Pa.,  Sep 
tember  14,  1841,  and  died  August  17,  1907.  His  remains 
were  deposited  in  the  family  plot  of  Green  Hill  Cemetery  at 
Waynesboro  with  Military  honors. 


408 


J.u/on  POTTF.R. 
Lieutenant,  Company  G,  Greencastle,  Pa. 


REGIMENTAL  ROSTER 


REGIMENTAL  ROSTER. 

In  submitting  the  roster  of  the  regiment,  the  History 
Committee  regrets  that  it  has  not  been  able  to  secure  a 
complete  service  record  of  every  member  of  the  regiment. 
Every  available  source  of  information  was  followed  up. 
The  committee  finds  that  it  is  almost  impossible  at  this  late 
date  to  check  up  every  man's  service  record  who  was  at 
any  time  identified  with  the  regiment.  The  committee  had 
hoped  that  the  desired  information  could  be  secured  from 
the  War  Department  at  Washington  D.  C.,  from  the  official 
records.  Upon  application  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  the  in 
formation  asked  for  was  refused,  and  the  reason  given  was, 
"that  it  would  entail  too  much  clerical  labor  to  comply 
with  all  such  requests."  A  second  appeal  was  made  at  the 
office  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  in  person,  by  the  author, 
accompanied  by  an  assistant,  to  do  the  work,  if  permission 
was  granted  to  examine  the  records  of  the  regiment.  This 
request  was  just  as  emphatically  refused. 

While  the  government  officials  are  to  be  commended  for 
thus  carefully  guarding  valuable  records,  it  is  a  ques 
tion  whether  they  are  justified  in  withholding  important 
information  which  can  be  obtained  in  no  other  way,  from 
men,  who  have  rendered  valuable  service  to  their  country. 
Let  the  reader  judge. 

After  voluminous  correspondence  the  committee  finally 
decided  to  have  complete  transcripts  made  of  the  roster  of 
the  regiment  as  published  by  Samuel  P.  Bates,  Pennsylva 
nia's  great  war  historian  and  author  of  Pennsylvania  Vol 
unteers,  1861-1865,  and  that  proof  sheets  be  mailed  to  re 
presentative  men  of  the  respective  companies  still  living  with 
a  request  to  revise  the  same  and  make  corrections  where 
errors  were  known  to  exist.  This  was  done  with  gratifying 
results.  The  committee  feel  justified  in  saying  that  it  has 
done  all  that  could  reasonably  be  expected,  and  that  the  fol 
lowing  roster  is  as  complete  as  can  be  secured  at  this  late 
date. 


411 


FIELD  AND  STAFF  OFFICERS 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

JosiahH.  Kellogg  
Jas.  Q.  Anderson  

John  B.  M'Allister  
Coe  Durland  

David  B.  Hartranft  
Reuben  R.  Reinhold  .  .  . 
Weidner  H  Spera 

Colonel.. 
...do... 

Lt.  Col.  . 
...do... 

Major..  . 
do 

Nov.  19,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Oct.      7,  '62 
Oct.    23,  '62 

Oct.    14,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Oct.    24,  '62 

Oct.    30,  '62 
Nov.     1,  '62 

Resigned  December  27,  1864. 
Promoted  from  Captain  Co.  A.  to  Major,  June  13,  1863  — 
to  Lt.  Col.,  April  30,  1864  —  to  Col.  Jan.  23,  1865  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Pr.  fr.  Capt.  Co.  I,  Nov.  6,  '62—  res.  May  31,  1863. 
Pr.  fr.  Capt.  Co.  M,  to  Major,  Nov.  20,  1862—  to  Lt.  Col., 
Feb.  13,  1865—  Bv.  Col.,  March  13,  1865—  discharged  by 
General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Pr.  fr.  Capt.  Co.  L,  Nov.  20,  '62—  res.  Jan.  11,  1863. 
Pr.  fr.  1st  Lt.  Co.  E,  Oct.  22,  '62—  res.  Aug.  9,  1864. 
Promoted  from  Captain  company  C,  Aug.  10,  '64  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Promoted  from  Captain  company  G,  Feb.  13,  '65  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Pr.  from  Capt.  Co.  H,  Feb.  13,  1865—  Bv.  Lt.  Col.,  Mar. 
13,  1865—  discharged  by  G.  O.,  June  20,  1865. 
Promoted  from  1st  Sergeant  company  E,  Nov.  20,  1862  —  • 
resigned  May  31,  1863. 
Promoted  from  1st  Sgt.  Co.  K,  Nov.  6,  1863  —  discharge 
by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Promoted  from  1st  Lt.  company  K,  Nov.  21,  1862  —  killed 
at  Old  Church  Tavern,  Va.,  May  30,  1864. 
Promoted  from  Sergeant  company  L,  July  22,  1864  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Promoted  from  private  company  A,  Nov.  19,  '62  —  to  Cap 
tain  company  B,  Dec.  29,  1862. 
Promoted  from  Com.  Sgt.  Co.  A,  to  Com.  Sgt.,  Nov.  1, 
1862  —  to    Com.   Sub.,    May   26,    1865  —  discharged   by 
General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Resigned  September  28,  1863. 
Promoted  from  Ass't  Surgeon  62d  regiment  P.  V.,  Oct.  23, 
1863—  resigned  April  6,  1864. 
Promoted  from  Ass't  Surgeon  110th  regiment  P.  V.,  May 
2,  1864—  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  28,  1865. 
Resigned  July  18,  1863. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Resigned  March  8,  1863. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Discharged  Aug.  7,  to  date  Jan.  16,  1865. 
Promoted  from  Q.  M.  Sergeant  company  I,  Nov.  1,  1862 
—  transferred  to  company  I,  Aug.  25,  1863. 
Promoted  from  Corporal  company  I,  Aug.  23,  '63  —  to  1st 
Lt.  company  I,  July  22,  1864. 
Promoted  from  private  company  B,  Aug.  1,  1864  —  to  2d 
Lt.  company  D.  Dec.  28,  1864. 
Promoted  from  private  company  M,  July  21,  1864  —  to  2d 
Lt.  company  M,  June  10,  1865. 
Promoted  from  1st  Sergeant  company  B,  June  10,  1865  — 
mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  from   private   company    I,   Jan.    1,    1865  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Promoted  from  private  company  A,  May  26,  1863  —  mus 
tered  out  with  regiment,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  from  private  company  M,  Oct.  54,  1863  —  mus 
tered  out  with  regiment,  June  16,  186. 
Promoted  from  private  company  K,  March  1,  1864  —  mus 
tered  out  with  regiment,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  from  private  company  D,  Nov.  20,  1862  —  dis 
charged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  April  11,  1863. 
Promoted  from  private  company  B,  April  9,  1863  —  dis 
charged  on  Surg.  certificate  —  date  unknown. 
Promoted  from  private  company  K,  April  6,  1863  —  mus 
tered  out  with  regiment,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  from  private  company  M,  Nov.  1,  1862  —  trans 
ferred  to  company  M,  April  6,  1863. 
Promoted  from  bugler  company   B,  Nov.   1,  1864  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  21,  1865. 
Promoted  from  private  company  B,  Nov.  1,  1862  —  trans 
ferred  to  company  B,  May  26,  1863. 

do 

Luther  B.  Kurtz  
William  Thompson.  .  .  . 

...do... 
.  do 

Perry  J  Tate 

Adj  
...do... 
Q.  M.... 
...do... 
C.S  
...do... 

Surg  
.  ..do.  .. 

...do... 

As.  Sur.. 
.  ..do.  .. 
Chap.  .  . 
...do... 
V.  Surg 
Sr.Maj  .  . 

...do... 
...do.  .. 
...do... 
do 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  17,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Jan.    10,  '63 
Aug.     2,  '62 

April    8,  '63 

Oct.    23,  '62 
April  10,  '63 
Nov.  21,  '62 
Mar.  24,  '65 
June.   4,  '63 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      6,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  30,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Feb.   28,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 

James  A.  Clark  
John  Anglun  
Edwin  A.  Bean  

Henry  M  .  Donehoo  .... 
John  P.  Ross  

Isaac  Walborn  
Thad  S.  Gardner  

George  B  .  Pomeroy  .... 

James  B.  Moore  
J.  Wilson  DeWitt  
Henry  A.  Wheeler  
Robert  S.  Morton  
Samuel  M  Drew 

George  S.  Drexler  
Isaac  N.  Grubb  
Stanley  N.  Mitchell  
James  Brannon  
Jerome  I.  Stanton  

Thomas  H.  Boyd  

Q.M.Sr.. 
Com.Sr.. 
Hos.St.. 
...do... 
do 

Henry  J.  Tarble  

Peter  F.  Clark  

John  M.  Furman  
James  N.  Smith  
Thomas  Lawrence  
William  C.Walker  
James  Hyde  

...do... 
Saddler.. 
...do... 
Ch.  Bug 
Farrier.  . 

Jonathan  M  .  Darrow.  .  . 

412 


COMPANY  A. 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Daniel  M.  Donehoo..  .  . 
James  Q.  Anderson  .... 
Pius  A.  English  

John  Sweeney  
James  Potter  

Brice  S.  Ramsey  

David  G.  Bruce  
John  M.  McCorkey.... 

Thomas  W.  Brooks  
David  Dunn  

Capt  
...do... 
...do... 

1st  Lt.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 

2dLt... 
IstSgt.. 

Q.M.Sr.. 
...do.  .  . 

Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Sept.  20,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Sept.    6,  '62 

Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Sept.    6,  '62 

Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sent.    6,  '62 

Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Jan..  25,  '64 

Sept.    6,  '62 

Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Feb.   26,  '64 

Oct.    10,  '64 

Discharged  by  special  order,  Dec.  11,  1862. 
Pr.  from  1st  Lt.,  Dec.  11,  '62  —  to  Major,  June  13,  '63. 
Pr.  fr.  1st  Sgt.  to  2d  Lt.,  Dec.  11,  '62  —  to  Capt.,  Mar.  22, 
'64—  wd.  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  '65—  mus.  out  with 
Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Discharged  by  special  order,  Aug.  15,  1863. 
Promoted  from  Sergeant,  March  22,  1864  —  killed  at  Shep- 
herdstown,  W.  Va.,  Aug.  25,  1864. 
Promoted  from  Sergeant  to  2d  Lieutenant,  Dec.  18,  1864 
—to  1st  Lieutenant,  March  10,  1865  —  disch.  by  General 
Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Pr.  to  2d  Lt.,  March  10,  1865  —  mustered  out  with  Co.  F, 
2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  1863  —  to  Com.  Sgt.,  May  1,  1864  —  to 
Q.  M.  Sgt.,  Jan.  1,  1865—  to  1st  Sgt.,  March  10,  1865— 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  from  Cor.  to  Sgt.,  Jan.  1,  1863  —  to  Q.  M.  Sgt.,  March 
10,  1865  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  fr.  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '63—  to*Sgt.,  Nov.  1,  '64—  to  Com. 
Sgt.,  Jan.   1,  1865  —  to  Q.  M.  Sgt.  —  date  unknown  — 
died  on  board  U.S.  Transport,  March  18,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.,  1863  —  to  Sgt.,  Jan.  1,  1865  —  to  Com. 
Sgt.,  March  18,  '65—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Promoted  to  Regimental  Com.  Sgt.,  Nov.  1,  1862. 
Pr.  fr.  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16/65. 
Pr.  fr.  priv.,  to  2d  duty  Sergeant,  June  3,  1863  —  mus.  out 
with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  fr.  priv.,  Mar.  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Promoted  to  Corporal,  Jan.  1,  1865  —  to  Sergeant,  March 
1,  1865—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  December  18,  1862. 
Discharged  December  10,  1863. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Jan.  1,  '65—  to  Sgt.,  March  1,  1865—  mus.  out 
with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.   C.,  Jan.  25,   1863  —  buried   in 
Military  Asylum  Cemetery. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '64—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Jan.  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  1,  '65—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16.  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  May  1,  1864  —  wd.  at  Shepherdstown,  W.  Va., 
Aug.  25,  '64  —  ab.,  in  hospital,  at  mus.  out. 
Pr.Tto  Corporal,  March  1,  1865  —  mustered  out  with  Co.  G, 
2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Killed  on  picket,  Feb.  6,  1863. 
Deserted  March  18,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Bug.,  Mar.  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16;  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Blacksmith,  Jan.  2,  1863  —  mustered  out  with 
company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  1,  1863. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  31,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  March  15,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  12,  1865. 
Absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out. 
Tr.  to  Co.  C,  6th  reg.  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  July  20,  '64—  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  July  5,  1865. 
Absent,  wounded,  at  muster  out. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

John  D.  Irons..  .  . 

Com.  Sr. 

...do... 
Serg't.  .  . 
..do 

John  P.  Ross  
Daniel  Swearinger  
Joseph  E.  M'Cabe 

Samuel  Cristler  
Reed  Wallace  

...do... 
.     do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 

Corp.  .  .  . 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

Thomas  S.  Javeus  
Am'h  Hendrickson  
Israel  Watterhouse  .... 

Frank  M  .  Donehoo  .... 

John  A.  Wilson  
John  Potts  
Michael  Caler  
M.  M  'Zimmerman  

David  M.  Bruce  
John  Mowry  

...do... 
do      . 

Abram  A.  Hartford  .... 
Jas.  M.  Lourimore  

...do... 
...do.  .  . 

Milo  Cane  

do 

Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Sept.    6,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Mar.  10,  '64 
Jan.    29,  '64 
Oct.    27,  '64 
Aug.  31,  '64 

David  Hall 

do 

John  M'Cluskey  
William  Staub  
Alex.  A.  Campbell 

Bugler.  . 
...do... 
Black'h. 
...do... 

...do... 
Saddler.. 
Private.. 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

Lycur's  Richardson.  .  .  . 

Samuel  Robertson  
Freeman  D.  Barnes.  .  .  . 
Anderson,  Findley 

Anderson,  William  
Bruce,  George  W  

Boyland,  Michael  D.  .  . 
Beck,  William  H  
Braden,  Thomas  A.  ... 
Brooks,  John  M  
Baker,  Benjamin  

Bradley,  Oscar  A  
Boyd,  Edmundson  
Blanchard,  H.  W  
Craig,  George  

...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do... 
...do... 

27— 17th  R. 


413 


COMPANY  A.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Calhoon,  John  
Campbell,  James  
Christy,  Thomas  S  
Cooper,  William  C  
Collins,  Ellwood  A  
Corbus,  Daniel  R  
Crooks.  Nath'lK  
Duck,  George  W  
Duck,  John  H  
Dolby,  John  
Dutrow  Lewis 

Private.. 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
do 

Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Oct.      7,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Aug.  24,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Dec.   29,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Jan.    29,  '64 
Feb.   25,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  29,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Mar.  25,  '64 
Feb.   26,  '64 
Aug.  23,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '63 

Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Aug.     6,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 

Aug.     8,  '64 
Jan.    26,  '64 

Feb.   26,  '64 

Oct.    27,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.     1,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  28,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Dec.  29,  1862. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Captured  —  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Jan.  8,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Com.  Sub.,  Nov.  19,  1862. 
Pr.  to  Reg.  Commissary  Sergeant    May  26,  1863. 
Died  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  July  6,  1863. 
Deserted  Npvember  10,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Absent  at  muster  out. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  July  10,  1864. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  cert.,  March  24,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  31,  1865.. 
Discharged  February  6,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  D,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  7,  1865. 
Deserted  October  10,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Discharged  January  19,  1863. 
Drafted  —  mustered  out  with  company  G,  2d  regiment  Pro 
visional  Cavalry,  August  7,  1865. 
Died  at  Winchester,  Va.,  December  24,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  6,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  cert.,  March  24,  1863. 
Discharged  January  25,  1864. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  31,  1865. 
Killed  on  picket,  February  6,  1863. 
Killed  at  White  House  Landing,  Va.,  June  21  '64  —  bu.  in 
Nat.  Cem.,  Yorktown,  sec.  A,  grave,  39. 
Killed  at  Fisher's  Hill,  Va.,  October  1,  1864. 
Died  June  26,  of  wds.  rec.  near  White  House  Landing  ,Va., 
June  21,  '64—  bu.  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Arlington. 
Died  Aug.  13,  of  wds.  rec.  at  Newtown,  Va.,  Aug.ll,  '64  — 
bu.  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Winchester,  Va.,  lot  10. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  22,  1865. 
Discharged  February  17,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  15,  1865. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  September  8,  1863. 

do 

Donehoo,  Henry  M.  .  .  . 
English,  John  A  
Ewing,  George  
Erwine,  Curtis  
Fritz,  Frederick  
Frank,  Joseph  C  
Fish,  William  W  
Grove,  Joseph  
Gilbert,  George  
Glendening,  John  
Gamble,  Harvey  
Hamilton,  David 

...do.  .. 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Horner,  James  
Hazell,  William  
Hann,  George  W  
Hartford,  John  A  
Heister,  Wm.  C  
Kriner,  Michael  
Knowles,  James  S  
Kenard  ,  Joseph  
Lutton,  Samuel  
Link,  Daniel  J  
Langfitt,  James  C 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...  do  ... 
do 

Lindsey,  David  G  

Livers,  Francis  D  
Morris,  John  R  
Miller,  Godfrey.  ...'... 
Moffitt,  John  G  

...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .. 

Miller  James 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

...do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 

...do.  .  . 
...do... 
.  ..do... 

Mehaffy,  Stewart  
Marratta,  James  
Marker,  Sampson  
Minor,  Stephen  

Morgan,  Calvin  
Miller,  Leonard  
Martin,  John  A 

Miller,  Michael  
Marquart,  Jacob  F.  .  .  . 

Mercer,  David  

Matthews,  Frank  
M'Collough,  John  
M'  Brier,  William  
M'Coy,  Hezekiah  
M'Coy,  John  
M'Gonigal,  James  
M'Dowell,  Wm.  H  
M'Mahon,  Joshua  C.  .  . 
M'Coy,  Thomas  
M'Elhaney,  Wm  
M'Grath,  William  
Nevin,  Harper  P  
Noss,  William  J  

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 

414 


COMPANY  A.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Niblo,  David  H  

Phillips,  Potts  
Parker,  James  G 

Private.. 

...do... 
do 

Sept.    6,  '62 

Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.     1,  '64 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Oct.    27,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 

Oct.    27,  '64 

Died  Aug.  12,  of  wds.  rec.  at  Newtown,  Va.,  Aug.  11,  1864 
—  buried  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Winchester  —  lot  18. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  July  26,  1864. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  June  9,  of  wds.  rec.  at  Cold  Harbor,  May  31,  1864— 
buried  in  Nat.  Cemetery,  Arlington,  Va. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  24,  1864. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve  Corps,  Sept.  30,  1863. 
Captured—  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Jan.  24,  1865. 
Captured  —  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Dec.  29,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  21,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  8,  1865. 
Discharged  February  2,  1863. 
Wounded  at  Hanover  C.  H.,  Va.,  May  28,  1864—  absent, 
in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Killed  at  Shepherdstown,  Va. 
Captured  —  died  —  date  unknown. 
Died  at  Acquia  Creek,  Va.,  Jan.  10,  1863. 
Died  at  Acquia  Creek,  Va.,  Feb.  28,  1863. 

Parkinson,  John  T  
Purvis,  Alex'r  A  
Pauley,  George  W  
Potts,  Joseph  

...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

...do... 
.  .  .do.  .  . 

Russell,  Boston  S  
Risinger,  Rich'd  W.  .  .  . 
Reed.  William  H  
Ramsey,  Milton  G  
Roemer,  Nicholas  
Smith,  George  B. 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Feb.   25,  '64 
Mar.  29,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Aug.  30,  '64 
Aug.     8,  '64 
Aug.     6,  '62 
Aug.     1,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Feb.   27,  '64 

Feb.   27,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Nov.  11,  '64 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Aug.  24,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Aug.   10,  '64 
Aug.   10,  '64 
Aug.  24,  '64 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Feb.    27,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '62 
Feb.   27,  '64 

Streit,  John  

...do.  .  . 

Streit,  Benjamin  
Secrist,  Abraham  
Simpson,  William. 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
.  do 

Staub,  Charles 

do 

Stone  Philip 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Slick  Milton  J 

Sands,  William  

Stoops,  James  W  
Smith  John  H 

Searight,  Thomas  
Searight,  Harvey  
Stanton,  Michael 

Not  on  muster  out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  November  28,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Captured  —  died  at  Richmond,  Va.,  June  22,  1864. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Thorn,  John  
Thomas,  Henry  
Tuttle,  J.  Hill  
Todd,  Thomas 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Wolf,  Daniel  
White,  Arthur  W  
Withrow,  Robert  
Wolf,  Jacob  
Wolf,  Frederick  J  
Wetsel,  Samuel  J  
Wilkinson,  John  M  .  .  .  . 
Whitehill,  Wm.  W  
White,  Joseph  
Whitehill,  John  

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .. 

Ward,  Alexander  

...do... 

Oct.    29,  '64 

COMPANY  B. 


David  E.  Whitney  

Capt.  .  .  . 

Oct.    20,  '62  Discharged  by  special  order,  Dec.  29,  1862. 

Henry  M.  Donehoo.  .  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.    6,  '62  Promoted  from  Com.  Sub.,  Dec.  29,   1862  —  wounded  at 

Five  Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  1865  —  absent,  in  hospital,  at 

muster  out. 

Merrick  T.  Whitney  .  .  .  ,  1st  Lt.  .  . 

Sept.  23,  '62 

Resigned  January  2,  1863. 

Warren  F.  Simrell  !  .  .  .do  .  .  . 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  1st  Sgt.,  Dec.  15,  '62—  to  Capt.  Co.  D,  July  22,  '64. 

W.N.  Chamberlain....   ...do... 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  Q.  M.  Sgt.  to  2d  Lt.,  Jan.  11,  '63—  to  1st  Lt.,  July  4, 

1864  —  Bv.  Capt.  and  Major,  Mar.  13,  1865  —  mus.  out 

with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

William  A.  Larue  2d  Lt  .  .  . 

Oct.    20,  '62 

Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  13,  1865. 

Asa  D.  Corse  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Promoted  from  1st  Sgt.,  July  23,  1864  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Jerome  I.  Stanton  

IstSgt.. 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Promoted  from  Q.  M.  Sgt.,  April  1,  1865  —  to  Sergt.  Major, 

June  10,  1865. 

Mat'w  M'Pherson  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Killed  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  1865. 

James  E.  Custis  

Q.M.Sr.. 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Aug.  17,  '63  —  to  Sgt.,  Jan.  1,  '65  —  to  Q.  M. 

Sgt.,  Apr.  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Dennis  Shay  

Com.Sr.. 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Edwin  A.  French  

Serg't.  .  . 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Pr.  to  Sgt.,  Jan.,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

415 


COMPANY  B.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

George  H.  French  
Edward  E.  Thayer  
Martin  V.  Bisbee  
Wm.  H.  Brookins  

Russell  V.  Whitney  
Richard  C.  DuBois.  .  .  . 

Erastus  Bennett  

Jerry  Sivers  
Wm.  G.  Seamans  
George  F.  Rezane  
Elisha  N.  Lord  

Free'n  P.Whitney  
Stanley  Stone  
Tim.  C.  Simpson 

Serg't.  .  . 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
...do..  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 

Corp  
...do... 
...  do  ... 
...do.  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 

...do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
Bugler.  . 
...do... 
Black'h. 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
Saddler.. 
...do... 
Private.  . 
...do.  .. 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
do 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.    8,  '64 

Nov.  17,  '63 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept,  21.  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Feb.   28,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 

April    2,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Mar.  24,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.    27,  '64 
Mar.  24    '64 

Promoted  to  Cor.,  Dec.  18,  1863—  to  Sgt.,  July  6,  1864— 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  Aug.  1,  1863—  to  Sgt.,  Nov.  1,  1864— 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  July  1,  1864—  to  Sgt.,  April  1,  1865— 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  fr.  Cor.,  Jan.,  '63—  wd.  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  May  31, 
1864—  tr.  to  58th  Co.,  2d  batt.,  Vet.  Res.  Corps—  disch. 
on  Surg.  certificate,  May  30,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Mar.  13,  1863. 
Promoted  to  Adjutant  158th  regiment  P.  V.,  November 
30,  1862. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  Aug.  28,   1864  —  buried  in 
National  Cemetery,  Arlington. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Sept.  6,  '64—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Apr.  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Promoted  to  Corporal,  Dec,  18.  1863  —  transferred  to  com 
pany  F,  10th  regiment  Vet.  Res.  Corps  —  discharged  by 
General  Order,  June  26,  1865. 
Pr.  to   Cor.,  Sept.  6,   1864—  capt'd  Oct.  29,   1864—  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  13,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  1864—  captured  Dec.  26,  1864—  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  May  30,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  12,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  July  23,  1863. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  July  6,  1864  —  mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d 
reg.  Provisional  Cav.,  Aug.  7.  1865,  —  Vet. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  Jan.  1,  1865  —  mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d 
reg.  Provisional  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Killed  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  1864. 
Died  of  wounds  received  in  action,  Aug.  13,  1864. 
Died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  Nov.  20,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Chief  Bugler,  Nov.  1,  1865. 
Vlustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  12,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  July  30,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Died  June  21,  of  wounds  received  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va., 
May  31,  1864—  bu.  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Arlington. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  29,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Sept.  30,  1863—  discharged 
by  General  Order,  July  26,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  May  31,  1864. 
Died  at  Fairfax  Seminary,  Va.,  June  19,  1863  —  buried  at 
Alexandria,  grave,  849. 
Captured  —  died  at  Richmond,  Va.,  Nov.  18,  1863. 
Mot  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mot  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  27,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  Hampton,  Va.,  June  28,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Charles  Hamilton  
Thos.  D.  Caldwell  

Harry  T.  Castle  

Harvey  S.  Rice  
William  H.  Brown  
A.  Judson  Perigo  
Benj.  W.  Barrett 

James  Hyde  
Thos.  J.  Tallman  
Danford  H.  Newton.  .  . 
Joseph  S.  Halstead  .... 
Leroy  H  Aldrich 

Michael  J.  Mulvey  
Albon  Emanuel  
Austin,  Albert. 

Abbott,  Charles  
Barrett,  Luther  L  
Brown,  Henry  
Bowen,  William  B 

Blanding,  Herbert  
Barnard,  William  E..  .  . 
Bertholf,  Benj.  O 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
do 

Barrett,  Sabin  

Bolin,  Pius  J  
Brooks,  Living  'n  J. 

...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Bagley,  John  W  

...do.  .  , 

Babcock,  Andrew  J.  .  .  . 
Brady,  John  
Black,  David. 

...do.,. 
...do.  .  . 
do 

Carlin,  Peter  M 

do 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Feb.   26,  '64 
Feb.   26,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Carlin,  Asa  F  

...do.  .  . 

Corey,  Enos  W  
Congle,  John  W  
Corwin,  Eli  E  
Conery,  John  W  
Conery,  James  
Darrow,  Jona.  M  
Decker,  George  

...do... 
...do.  .  . 
do 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

416 


COMPANY  B.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

DeWitt,  Isaac  M  
Disbro  Jesse  C. 

Private.. 
..do 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Dec.     7,  '63 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21.  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.     8,  '64 
Mar.  23,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.    5,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.  29.  '64 
Mar.  16,  '64 
Mar.  14,  '64 
Mar.  25,  '64 
Mar.     8,  '64 
Mar.  26,  '64 
Mar.  24,  '64 
Mar.  24,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Aug.  27,  '64 
Mar.  26,  '64 
Sept.  21.  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Aug.   19.  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21.  '62 

Mar.  14,  '64 
April  25.  '64 

Mar.  29.  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Feb.   26,  '64 
Sept.    5,  '64 
Aug.  21,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Aug.     9,  '64 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Feb.    11,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.  24,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21.  '63 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Aug.  24,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21.  '62 
Sept.    5,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Wounded  at  Todd's  Tavern,  Va.,  May  8,  1864—  discharged 
by  General  Order,  June  17,  1864. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Aug.  18,  1863. 
Mus,  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  23,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  special  order,  Feb.  10,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  July  6,  1864. 
Absent  at  muster  out. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  York,  Pa.,  May  18,  1863—  buried  in  Prospect  Hill 
Cemetery. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Capt'd  Aug.  13,  '64—  disch.  by  G.  O.,  July  18,  1865. 
Discharged  ou  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  14,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Aug.  19,  '63. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Des.  from  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro  Cav.,  July  8,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Died  in  Susquehanna  Co.,  Pa.,  March  25,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Not  on  muster  out-roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865.. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  Nov.  10,  1862. 
Pr.  to  1st  Lt.  27th  reg.  U.  S.  C.  T.,  Aug.  8,  '65—  mustered 
out  .Sept.  21,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65  —  Vet. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  A  2d  reg.  Provisional  Cav 
alry,  Aug.  7,  1865—  Vet. 
Killed  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  1864. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.   C.,   May   10,  1863  —  buried  in 
Military  Cemetery. 
Deserted  April  18,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Prisoner  from  Sept.  29.  1864,  to    Mar.  7,  1865—  disch.    by 
General  Order,  June  27,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  3,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Sgt.  Major,  Aug.  1,  1864. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Wounded  at  Opequan,  Va.,  Sept.   19,   1864—  absent,   in 
hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  Sept.  7,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  5,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  June  26.  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Sept.  9,  1864. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  Nov.  10,  1862. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Killed  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  1864. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  25,  1865. 
Died  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  March  28,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with,  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  15,  1863. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  Nov.  10,  1862. 
Killed  at  Deep  Bottom,  Va.,  July  28,  1864. 

Dana  John  C 

do 

Estabrooks,  Sylv.  H  .  .  . 

...do.  .. 

Griswold,  Daniel  L.  .  .  . 
Galoway,  Theodore.  .  .  . 
Greggs  Alvin  M. 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do..  . 
do 

Gibb,  George  

Greek,  William  

Hasker,  Barnard  
Hart,  Isaac  
Howell  John  S 

Hinkley,  Marquis  
Hart.  William  
Halstead,  S.  C  
Helmer  Samuel  F 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
do 

Haggerty,  Chas.  H  
Hamil,  Augustus  B  .  .  .  . 
Horton,  Thomas  B  
Harrison,  Thomas 

.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

...do... 
.  .do   . 

Haley,  James 

do 

Ireland,  Klisha  

...do.  .. 

Jenkins,  Stephen  
Jones,  Charles  
Johnson,  Thomas. 

...do... 
...do... 
.  .do 

Lake,  William  H  
Lee,  William  

...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Leight,  Charles  A  
Lamb,  George  W  
Lord,  Drew  H. 

...do... 
...do... 
do 

Lathrop,  Zara  
Lord,  Jerome  

Lyne,  John  S  
Loffler,  Charles  

Labar,  John  
Lyon,  Harmon  D  

Logan,  Edward  C  
Mentzer,  Daniel  
Murphy,  Frank  H  
Mack,  Henry  
Moore,  Samuel  H  

Moffit,  Mortimore  
Mitchell,  Stanley  N.... 
Miller,  David  H. 

...do... 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do..  . 
..do.  .  . 
...do... 

..do... 
..do.  .  . 
do 

M  'Carroll,  Sam  '1  I  

M'Keeby,  Theodore... 
M'Keeby,  James  B  .  .  .  . 
M'Keeby,  Wm.  B  
M  'Donald,  Allen  W  .  .  . 
M'Connell,  Sol'n  W.... 
M'Keeby,  Samuel  
Nash,  William  H  
Oakley,  Edward  G  
Obrien,  John. 

..do... 

..do... 
..do.  .  . 
..do.  .. 
..do.  .  . 
..do... 
..do... 
..do... 
...do.  .. 
do 

Palmer,  William  H  
Payne,  George  L  

...do... 
...do.  .. 

Plappelt,  George  
Rodgers,  Levi  S  
Rogers,  Francis.  .  .  . 

..do... 
..do... 
.do 

Round,  Amasa  N  

..do... 

417 


COMPANY  B.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Ross,  John. 

Private.  . 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
do 

Mar.  14,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  29,  '64 
Aug.     7,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Feb.   26r'64 
Feb.    12,  '64 
Mar.     7,  '64 
Mar.    8,  '64 
Mar.  12,  '64 
Mar.     8,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Mar.  29,  '64 
Nov.  23,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.  11,  '64 

Mar.  24,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.  13,  '64 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.  14,  '64 
July    22,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.  31,  '64 

Died  April  18,  '64—  bu.  in  Mil.  Asy.  Cem.,  D.  C. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  28,  1865. 
Dishonorably  discharged  July  15,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  March  6,  '63. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  22,  1864. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  23,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Hospital  Steward,  April  9,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Absent  at  muster  out. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  2,  1865. 
Killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  May  31,  1864. 
Accidentally  killed  at  Winchester,  Va.,  Nov.  29,  1864— 
buried  in  National  Cemetery,  lot  17. 
Deserted  June  14,  1864. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company  B,  2d  reg.  Provisional  Cavalry 
Aug.  7,  1865—  Vet. 
Mustered  out  with  company  B,  2d  reg.  Provisional  Cav., 
Aug.  7,  1865—  Vet. 
Killed  at  White  House,  Va.,  June  21,  1864—  buried  Nat. 
Cemetery,  Yorktown,  sec.  A,  grave,  103. 
Died  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Oct.  17,  1864. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  Sept.  17,   1864  —  buried  in 
National  Cemetery,  Arlington,  Va. 
Promoted  to  2d  Lt.  1st  reg.  U.  S.  C.  Troops,  July  14,  1865 
—  mustered  out,  Sept.  29,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  April  24,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Hospital  Steward  —  date  unknown. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  from  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  July  8,  '65. 
Died  at  Hope  Landing,  Va.,  April  14,  1863. 
Captured  —  died  at  Richmond,  Va.,  Oct.  14,  1864. 

Smith,  David  

Stoddard,  Horace  S.  .  .  . 
Sterling,  Jabes  S  
Stainer,  George  T  
Sanders,  James. 

Shay,  Aaron  W. 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do..  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
do 

Scott,  James  H  

Smith,  George  B  
Stodard,  Henry  H  
Steinback,  Lewis  
Smith,  James  N  

Smith,  John  
Shearer,  Jacob  
Swygert,  William  R  
Shank,  Jacob  
Snyder  John  C 

Stewart,  Stanley  

Struble,  George  
Sweaney,  William  
Tyler,  Henry  W  
Tobias,  Peter  

Tenant,  Walter  
Tenant,  Dallas  P  

Thompson,  John  C  .  .  .  . 
Tripp,  Joseph  O  

Williams,  Henry  G  

...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do.  .  . 

...do.  .. 

Way  man,  Harvey  B  .  .  . 
Wheaton,  Myron 

.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Welcome,  Ezra  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Walker,  Thomas  
Whitney,  Harland  S.  .  . 
Wells,  Hezekiah  S  
Yengst,  William  

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

COMPANY  C. 


Weidner  H.  Spera  

Capt.  .  .  . 

Oct.    24,  '62  Promoted  to  Major,  Aug.  10,  1864. 

Benjamin  M.  Herr  

...do... 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  1st  Sgt.  to  2d  Lt.,  April  5,  '64  —  to  Capt.,  Oct.  6, 

1864  —  discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  '65. 

Cyrus  Bentz  

1st  Lt.  .  . 

Oct.      1,  '62 

Resigned  April  5,  1863. 

Joseph  E.  Shultz  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    24,  '62 

Promoted  from  2d  Lieut.,  Nov.  1,  1863—  killed  at  Meadow 

Bridge,  Va.,  May  12,  1864. 

Edward  E.  Wood  

...do.  .. 

Sept.  27,  '62  Capt'd  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  28,  '62  —  pr.  pr.  Sgt.  to  1st 

Sgt..  April  5,  1864—  to  1st  Lt.,  July  22,  1864—  Actg. 

Adj't.  from  Sept.  29,  1864—  muster  out  of  Regt.  A.  C. 

of  M.  1st  Cav.  Div.,  June  24,  1865  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.,  G.  2d  Pro.  Pa.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865 

John  L.  Bechtle  

2d  Lt  .  .  . 

Sept.    9,  '62 

Captured  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  28,  '62—  promoted  to  2d 

Lt.,  Dec.  28,  1864  —  mustered  out  with  company  C,  2d 

reg.  Provisional  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

John  Enck  

1st  Sgt.  . 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Pr.  to  Q.  M.  Sgt.,  Oct.  15,  1862—  to  1st  Sgt.,  Jan.  1,  1865 

—  mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Barton  P.  Ream  

Q.M.Sr.. 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct.  15,  '62  —  to  Sgt.,  Jan.  1,  '64  —  to  Q.  M.  Sgt., 

Jan.  1,  1865  —  wd.  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12, 

1864—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1865. 

Samuel  W.  Lewis  

Com.  Sr. 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Captured  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  27,  '62  —  promoted  to 

Cor.,  Jan.  1,  1864  —  to  Com.  Sgt.,  July  1,  1864  —  mustered 

out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

John  Caulwell. 

Serg't. 

SpnK  27.  'fi2 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Aug.  10,  1863  —  to  Sgt.,  May  1,  1864  —  mustered 

j 

out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

418 


COMPANY  C.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Serg't.  .  . 

..do... 
..do... 

..do.  .  . 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Oct.    19,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
<"Vt      17    'fi5> 

Promoted  to  Cor.,  Aug.  10,  1863  —  to  Sgt.,  Sept.  1,  1864— 
wd.  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  '64  —  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Saddler,  Oct.  15,  '62  —  to  Sgt.,  Sept.  1,  1864  —  mus 
tered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  Oct.   15,   '64  —  to  Sgt.,  Jan.  1,  '65  — 
wounded  at  Gordonsville,  Va.,  Dec.  23,  1864  —  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Sgt.,  Oct.  15,  '62  —  wd.  at  Newtown,  Va.,  Aug.  11, 
1864  —  absent  at  muster  out. 
Capt'd  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  27,  '62  —  pr.  to  Sgt.,  Oct.  15, 
'62  —  died  in  Lancaster,  Co.,  Pa.,  April  21,  1863. 
Promoted  to  Sergeant,  Aug.  10,  '63  —  died  at  Brandy  Sta 
tion,  Va.,  January  4,  1864. 
Pr.  to  Sgt.,  Oct.  15,  1862—  deserted  June  18,  1863. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  4,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Wd.  at  Upperville,  Va.,  June  27,  1863—  pr.  to  Cor.,  Sept. 
1,  1864  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Sept.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Wd.  at  Old  Church  Tavern,  Va.,  May  30,  '64—  pr.  to  Cor., 
Jan.  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Jan.  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Sept.  1,  1864  —  absent  at  muster  out. 

PrnmntpH    tn    Pnrnnral      Tnlv    1      18fi4  mustprerl    out   with 

William  W.  Lewis  
Benjamin  F.  Busser..  .  . 

Isaac  E.  Bentz  

Benj.  Zentinger  
Richard  Albright  
George  Greise  

..do... 
..do.  .  . 
..do.  .  . 

George  Rittenhouse.  .  .  . 
Henry  C   Shirk  

Corp..  .  . 
do      . 

do 

Elias  Killian  

John  E.  Wade  
Henry  E.  Tragor  

...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

rln 

Wm.  F.  H.  Annake. 
Jesse  Fry 

Michael  Albright... 
Abraham  Coldren.  . 
George  W.  Wolf. .  .  . 

Israel  Badorf 

Levi  B.  Dohner.  .  .  . 

Adams,  Israel 

Ames,  Jacob 

Ansel,  Henry 

Appel,  Daniel 

Bingeman,  George.  . 

Brown,  Daniel  B .  .  . 

Boyer,  Jacob 

Bentz,  Rudolph.  .  .  . 

Boyer,  Peter 

Brubaker,  Sam 'IF.. 

Berntheisel,  J.  W... 
Britigam,  Albert  .  .  . 

Bletz,  William 

Betz,  James 

Burkholder,  H.  M... 
Brackbill,  Christ'n  . 
Barnes,  William.  .  .  . 
Coldren,  Addison  B. 
Carpenter,  Clayton. 

Clark,  Edward 

Cochran,  Jacob 

Crumling,  Adam  . .  . 


Carpenter,  E.  G. . . 
Coldren,  Jacob.  .  .  . 


Coldren,  Adam..  . . 


j     company  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

.  .do.  .  .  Jan.    10,  '64  Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  '64— disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  21,  '65. 
.  .do.  .  .Sept.  27,  '62  Promoted  to  Corporal,  Oct.  15,  1862 — drowned  at  Kelly's 

!     Ford,  Va.,  Aug.  10,  1863. 

.  .do.  .  .  Sept,  27.  '62  Promoted  to  Cor.,  Oct.  15,  1862— des.  Nov.,  1862. 
Bugler.  .  iSept.  27,  '62  Promoted  to  Cor..  Oct.  15,  1862— des.  Oct.  1862. 
Bugler.  .  Sept.  27, '62  Promoted  to   Bugler,  Jan.   1,    1864 — mustered  out  with 

company,  June  16,  1865. 
Black'h.    Sept.  27,  '62iMustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
.  .do.  .  .  Sept.  27,  '62. Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Private..  Sept.  27,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
.  .do.  .  .  Aug.  22,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
.  .do.  .  .  Sept.  27,  '62  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  July  23,  1863. 
.  .  .do.  .  .  Sept.  27,  '62  Deserted  November,  1862. 
.  .  .do.  .  .  Sept.  27,  '62  Wounded  and   captured  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  28,  1862 

— mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  '65. 
do.  .  .  Oct.    19,  '62| Wounded  and  captured  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  28,  1862 — 

|     mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  '65. 
Aug.  29,  '64| Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Oct.    19,  '62  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  July  21,  1863. 
Oct.    19,  '62  Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Oct.    17,  '62  Wounded  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  28,  1862— mus.  out  with 

Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Mar.     1, '64  Wounded  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  11,   '64— dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  29,  1865. 


.do. 

.do. 
.do. 
.do. 

.do. 
.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 

.do. 
,  .do. 
..do. 
..do. 
..do. 
..do. 

..do. 
..do. 


Mar.  29,  '64 


...do. 


Wounded  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  '64 — absent 


at  muster  out. 

Mar.    3,  '64|Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Sept.  27,  '62!Killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  May  31,  1864. 

Sept.  27,  '62  Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  Feb.  1,  1864. 

Sept.  27,  '62J  Deserted  October,  1862. 

Mar.  31,  '64  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Aug.  30,  '641  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  '1865. 

Aug.  20,  '64 j  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Aug.  23,  '64; Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Oct.    17,  '62jMus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Oct.  17,  '62  Captured  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  28,  1862— mus.  out  with 
Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Feb..  17,  '64JMus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Aug.  30,  '64|  Killed  at  Gordonsville,  Va.,  Dec.  23,  1864 — buried  in 
National  Cemetery,  Culpepper  C.  H.,  Va.,  block  1,  sec 
tion  A,  row  11,  grave,  379. 


Aug.  30,  '64 


Died  at   Baltimore,   Md.,  April  7,   1865 — burial  record, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 


419 


COMPANY  C.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Coombs,  John  
Druckenbrod,  Jer  

Dougherty,  John 

Private.. 
...do.  .. 

.  do 

Aug.  11,  '64 
Oct.    17,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Mar.     7,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Mar.    8,  '64 
Oct.    19,  '62 
Oct.    17,  '62 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  27,  '64 
Sept.  17,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Feb.  27,  '64 

Feb.   29,  '64 
Mar.  29,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    17,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 

[Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Wounded  at  Todd's  Tavern,  Va.,  May  8,  1864  —  mus.  out 
with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  October,  1862. 
Died  July  21,  '64—  bu.  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Arlington,  Va. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Company  I,  Sept.  24,  1864. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  October,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Killed  at  Meadow  Bridge,  Va.,  May  12,  1864. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  July  8,  1863. 
Wounded  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  '64  —  Mus.  out 
with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  from  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  July  5,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  —  date   unknown  —  of  wounds   received   at   Meadow 
Bridge,  Va.,  May  12,  1864. 
Died  October  18,  1862. 
Deserted  November,  1862. 
Deserted  January  1,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  11,  '64  —  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Nov.  20,  1862. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted   March   15,   1864—  returned   March  20,   1865— 
mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  October,  1862. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Gordonsville,  Va.,  Dec.  23,  1864—  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Kearnysville,  Va.,  Aug.  25,  1864  —  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Died  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  July  24,  1863. 
Captured  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.,  28,  1862  —  mustered  out 
with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Prisoner  from  August  13,  1864,  to  March  1,  1865  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  July  6,  1865. 
Deserted  January  20,  1863. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Deserted  April  18,  1864  —  returned  Nov.  12,  1864  —  deserted 
again  January  8,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Davidson  Hiram 

do 

Eshelman,  Henry  
Eshelman,  Samuel  

...do... 
...do.  .  . 

Engle,  Cyrus  
Eberhart,  John  
Flickinger,  Joseph  
Flickinger,  H.  S 

...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 
do 

do 

Foltz,  Abraham  B  

...do... 

Foos,  John  S  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do..  . 
...do..  . 

Gerhart,  Harrison  
Gerhart,  Alex   

Garman,  Isaac        

Garman,  Cyrus. 

Greenmyer,  Joseph  .... 
Garman,  Jacob  S  
Gerhart,  Isaac  

"Garman,  Jacob  H  
Glass,  Theodore  
Garman,  Kinzer  

Glass,  Henry  
George,  David  
Groff,  Abraham  W  
Halting,  Davidson..  .  .  . 
Hart,  David  
Hilbert,  Christian  

.  ..do.  .  . 

.  ..do.  .. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do..  . 

Harting,  Samuel  

...do..  . 

Aug.  29,  '64 
Aug.  16,  '64 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Aug.  23,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    17,  '62 
Feb.   29,  '64 
Feb.  29,  '64 
Oct.    17,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Aug.  11,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    30,  '64 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Aug.  25,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Oct.    17,  '62 
Sept.  17,  '64 
Aug.  23,  '64 
Aug.  20,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  23,  '64 
Oct.    17,  '62 

Hellinger,  Daniel 

.  do   . 

Hosier,  George  
Hawk,  Isaac  B  

...do... 
...do... 

Harting,  Henry  

...do... 

Hersh,  Henry  K  

.  .  .do 

Heaps  Joseph. 

do     . 

Halk,  Henry  

.  ..do.  .. 

Hinkle,  Emanuel  
Hoigh,  Lewis  J  

...do.  .. 

...do... 
...do.  .. 
do 

High,  Watson  N.. 

Hart  Daniel 

Irwin,  George  

...do.  .  . 

do 

Joh,  Martin  

...do... 
do 

Jones,  William  .  .  . 

Jacoby,  David  

.  ..do.  .. 

Kemper,  Henry  
Krimes,  Michael  

...do... 

...do... 
...do... 

do 

Kemper,  Samuel  G.  .  .  . 
Kain   Davis 

Keller,  John  

...do... 

Line,  Porter  
Landis,  Monroe  
Laufer,  William  

Mentzer,  William  
Martin,  John  
Martin,  William  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

420 


COMPANY  C.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Martin,  John  M  

Private.  . 

...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Feb.   27,  '64 
Oct.    17,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  17,  '64 
Oct.    17,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Aug.  20,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Feb.    13,  '64 
Feb.   13,  '64 
Mar.     2,  '64 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Aug.  25,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.     1,  '64 
Aug.  23,  '64 
Aug.  24,  '64 
Oct.    18,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  23,  '64 
Mar.    2,  '64 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    19,  '62 
Sept.  17,  '64 
Sept.  17,  '64 
Aug.  30,  '64 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Aug.  24,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Aug.  20,  '64 
Oct.    19,  '62 
Oct.    25,  '62 
Jan.    22,  '64 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Captured  at  Ream's  Station,  Va.,  June  25,  '64  —  died  at 
Andersonville,  Ga.,  Sept.  27,  '64  —  grave,  9.598. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  November  1,  1863. 
Tr.  to  Co.  I,  24th  reg.  V.  R.  C.—  date   unknown—  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  29,  1865. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Deserted  October,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  July  12,  1863. 
Prisoner  from  May  30,  to  Nov.  20,  1864  —  disch.  by  General 
Order,  June  8.  1865, 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  August  4,.  1864. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Captured  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  28,  1862—  mustered  out 
with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Captured  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  28,  1862  —  mustered  out 
with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Captured  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  28,  1862—  mustered  out 
with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Tr.  to  51st  company,  2d  batt.,  V.  R.  C.,  Nov.  15,  '63  — 

M'Guire,  John  

M'Entire,  James  
Mixdorf,  Edward  

Norris,  William  
Peters,  Gibson  
Ruth,  Jacob  

Rupp,  Benjamin  
Reddig,  John  A  
Rhoades,  Abraham 

.  ..do.  .. 

...do... 
.     do     . 

Rupp  Simon  W 

do 

Rhodes   Barton  G 

do 

Roberson,  Fred'k  
Rote,  John 

...do... 
...do... 
do 

Rissler,  Valentine  B. 

Rauck   Edwin  M   S. 

do 

Sloan,  Edward  

Smith,  George  
Showers,  James 

...do... 

...do... 
do 

Shirk,  Reuben  L  

...do.  .  . 

Snyder,  William  
Sweigart,  Nero 

...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
do 

Shimp,  Daniel. 

Senger,  Jacob  
Slott,  Samuel  B  
Sweigert,  Henry  
Steffy,  Nathaniel 

Strickler,  Jonathan  .... 
Steigenwalt,  John  
Sible,  John. 

...do... 
...do... 
.  do   .  . 

discharged  by  General  Order,  Sept.  19,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve  Corps  —  date  unknown. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  23,  1865. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  June  13,  of  wounds  received 
at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  May  31,  1864  —  buried  in  National 
Cemetery,  Arlington. 
Deserted  November,  1862. 
Deserted  October,  1862. 
Deserted  November,  1862. 
Deserted  November,  1862. 
Deserted  October,  1862. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  company  E,  21st  reg.  V.  R.  C.  —  discharged 
by  General  Order,  July  1,  1865. 
Deserted  January  1,  1863. 
Discharged  Mar.  9,  1865,  for  wds.  rec.  in  action. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  C,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve  Corps,  Feb.  11,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Deserted  December.  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Shaffner,  Henry  
Shirk,  Hiester  
Smith,  Franklin 

...do... 
...do... 
do   .  . 

Steely,  Harrison  
Spangler,  Jacob  

...do... 
...do... 

Stewart,  Samuel  
Snyder,  William 

...do... 
...do... 
do 

Slott,  Byron 

Slote,  Elijah  B  

.  ..do.  .. 

Turner,  Edward  

...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do... 
do 

Trago,  James  D 

Urich,  Jefferson  
Weinhold,  Wm  
Walter,  William  
Wise,  James  
Weaver,  John  E 

Weritzel,  John. 

Widman,  Henry  
Wise,  Henry  B  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 
do 

Winters,  Benj.  B.  .  
Weaver,  Isaac  E.     ... 

Young,  Christian  
Young,  Franklin. 

Yundt,  William  
Zwally,  Emanuel  

...do... 

...do... 

421 


COMPANY  D. 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OP 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Charles  H.  Ames 

Capt.. 

Oct.    28,  '62 

Resigned  May  22,  1863. 

Warren  F  Simrell 

do 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Promoted  from  1st  Lieut.  Co.  B,  July  22,  1864  —  discharged 

by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 

Chas.  F.  Williard  

1st  Lt.  .  . 

Oct.      4,  '62 

Resigned  April  7,  1863. 

Johnson  Rogers  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    30,  '62 

Promoted   from   2d   Lieutenant,   November   1,    '63  —  dis 

charged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 

Stanley  N.  Mitchell..  .  . 

2d  Lt  .  .  . 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  Sgt.  Maj.,  Dec.  28,  '64—  disch.  May  15,  1865. 

Orin  U.  Emory 

1st  Sgt.  . 

Oct.    28,  '62 

Promoted  to  1st  Sgt.,  March  1,  '65  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.  L,  2d  regiment  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Joseph  R.  Horton  

Q.M.Sr.. 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Wounded  in  action,  March  31,  '65  —  absent,  in  hospital,  at 

muster  out. 

George  A.  Lent  

Com.  Sr 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Wounded  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  May  31,  1864—  discharged 

by  General  Order,  June  23,  1863. 

Amos  Congdon  

Serg't.  .  . 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Wm.  R.  Vancise  

...do... 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Promoted  to  Cor.,  Nov.  22,  '62—  to  Sergt.,  April  18,  1864 

—  mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

James  Wilber  

...do... 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Wounded  at  Smithfield,  Va.,  August  29,  1864  —  absent,  in 

hospital,  at  muster  out. 

James  S.  Hines  

...do... 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Discharged  April  12,  '63,  for  wounds  rec.  in  action. 

Leroy  F.  Ward  

...do... 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Dec.  15,  1863. 

Geo.  D.  Mullihan  

...do... 

Oct.    28.  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  '64  —  to  Sgt.,  Aug.  1,  '64  —  mustered 

out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

M.  V.  B.  Rogers  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    28,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Apr.  17,  '64  —  to  Sgt.,  Feb.  15,  '65  —  mustered 

out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Franklin  P.  Rogers.  .  .  . 

...do... 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Killed  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  December  28,  1862. 

Newcomb  Kinney  

...do... 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Promoted  to  Sergeant,  July  1,  1863—  killed  at  Trevilian 

Station,  Va.,  June  12,  1864. 

Martin  Aumiller  

...do... 

Oct.    28,  '62 

Promoted  to  Sergeant,  January  1,  1863—  killed  at  Aldie, 

Va.,  June  22,  1863. 

Caleb  N.  Bowen  

...do... 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Captured—  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Feb.  15,  1865. 

John  W.  Morley  

Corp.  .  .  . 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Walter  French  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Sept.  26,  '63  —  wd.  at  Front  Royal,  Va.,  Aug. 

16,  '64  —  discharged  by  General  Order,  Jan.  18,  1866. 

Hyman  Vanduzor  

...do... 

Oct.    17,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Apr.  17,  '64—  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  21,  '65. 

George  L.  Coffin  

...do.  .  .Oct.    28,  '62 

Promoted  to  Corporal,  April  17,  '64  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Michael  Creswell  

...do...  Oct.    28,  '62 

Promoted  to  Corporal,  July  1,  1864  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

George  R.  Allis  

...do... 

Mar.  31,  '64 

Promoted  to  Corporal,  Nov.  20,  '64  —  mustered  out  with  .  . 

Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Albert  F.  Bush  

...do... 

Oct.    28,  '62 

Promoted  to  Corporal,  Feb.  28,  '65  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865, 

James  S.  Parks  

...do... 

Mar.  31,  '64 

Promoted  to  Corporal,  Feb.  15,  '65  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Suphronus  Hill  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    28,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Jan.  1,  1865  —  killed  in  action,  Feb.  28,  '65  — 

bu.  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Winchester,  Va.,  lot  26. 

George  W.  Rogers 

.do. 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  July  12,  1863  —  buried  in  Mili 

tary  Asylum  Cemetery. 

John  E.  Burchard  

Bugler.  . 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Chas.  G.  Johnson  

Black'h 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Samuel  Heavner  

Farrier.  . 

Oct.    28,  '62 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65 

Geo.  N.  Yarrington.  .  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

James  W.  M'Cune  

Saddler.. 

Sept.  12,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Antisdale,  Fred  L  

Private.. 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  13,  1863. 

Arnold,  George  

...do... 

Oct.    17,  '62 

Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  March  17,  1863. 

Armstrong,  E.  G  

...do... 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve  Corps,  Jan.  15,  1865. 

Allis,  Ithiel  J  

...do.  .  . 

Oct.    28,  '62 

Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  July  10,  1863—  buried  in 

Military  Asylum  Cemetery. 

Alkins,  Samuel 

.do. 

Deserted  November  14,  1864. 

Anthony,  Mort.   • 

.do. 

Oct.    28,  '62 

Deserted  November  13,  1862. 

Burchard,  Henry  

.  .  .'do  .  .  . 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  Company,  June  16,  1865. 

Buffington,  C.  L  

...do.  .  . 

Oct.      3,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Brainard,  David  M.  .  .  . 

...do... 

Oct.      3,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Barnett,  John  F 

.do. 

Sept.    5,  '64 

MnstprpH  nut  with  romnanv.  Tune  16.  1865. 

Boss,  William  C  

.  .  .do.  .  . 

Oct.      3,  '62  Tr.  to  9th  reg.  N.  Y.  Cavalry,  February  20,  1863. 

Beeman,  James  

do 

Oct.    28,  '62  Died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  October  13,  1863. 

Bishop,  Stephen  C  

...do... 

Oct.      3,  '62  Deserted  July  6,  1863. 

Broderick,  Daniel  

...do... 

Deserted  November  14,  1864. 

422 


COMPANY  D.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 

SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Conrad,  Burton  
Clough,  ZaddockK.... 
Carroll,  William  
Conrad,  George  A  

Chaffee,  Benj.  L  
Chaffee,  Noah  P  
Crispell,  Abraham  
Cunningham,  W.  P.  ... 
Coldren,  Ephraim  

Chandler,  Allen  
Camp,  Henry  J  

Private.. 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
.  ..do..  . 

...do... 
...do... 
do 

Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
July    10,  '64 
Oct.      3,  '62 

Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Mar.  24,  '64 
July    14,  '64 
Sept.    3,  '64 

Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.    28,  '62 

Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.    28,  '62 
July    26,  '64 
Oct.      3,  '62 
July    20,  '64 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Tr.  to  118th  Co.,  2d  batt.,  V.  R.  C.  —  date  unknown  — 
discharged  by  General  Order,  October  2,  1865. 
Absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  30,  1863. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  25,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  8,  1865. 
Killed   at  Fisher's    Hill,  Va.,  Sept.  29,  1864—  buried    in 
National  Cemetery,  Winchester,  lot  25. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  July  22,  1863—  bu.  rec.,  May 
22,  1863  —  bu.  in  Military  Asylum  Cemetery. 
Died  at  Washington,   D.   C.,  June  25,   1863  —  buried  in 
Military  Asylum  Cemetery. 
Deserted  November  15,  1862. 
Deserted  November  15,  1862. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  17,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Dec.  1862. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  cert.,  March  5,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Nov.  11,  1862. 
Deserted  November  15,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Tr.   to  50th  company,   2d   batt.,  Vet.   Res.   Corps  —  Dis 
charged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  May  25,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Hospital  Steward,  Nov.  20,  1862. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  cert.,  March  4,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  April  6,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Dec.  19,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  9,  1863. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  November  15,  1862. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Deserted  November  15,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  April  6,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  L.  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  April  6,  1863. 
Tr.  to  Co.  G,  16th  reg.  V.  R.  C.  —  date  unknown  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  July  26,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Oct.  17,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  November  22,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Died  at  Acquia  Creek,  Va.,  January  16,  1863. 
Died  at  Portsmouth  Grove  Hos.,  R.  I.,  Feb.  28,  '63. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Prisoner  from  Sept.  29,   1864,  to  March  12,   1865—  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  22,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  9,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Culpicer,  Eli  
Cloland,  Thomas  
Dougherty,  Geo.  F.  .  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Dunlap,  Charles  M  .  .  .  . 
Degaugh,  Joseph  
Dixon,  Henry  
Day,  James 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Eshelman,  Peter  C  
Elliott,  William  H  

Furman,  John  M  
French,  Abisha  
Frederick,  William  
Fairchilds,  M.  A  
Griffis,  Thomas  
George,  David  
Gardner,  William  
Guttalin,  John  D  
Glenn,  James  
Gooley,  Peter  
Gooley,  John  
Goff,  George  W  
Goff,  Wilmot  
Gardner,  Michael. 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Sept.    5,  '64 
Oct.    17,  '62 

Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.    17,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
July    22,  '64 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '64 
July    12,  '64 
Sept.  19,  '64 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Mar.  18,  '64 
Mar.  18,  '64 

Haugh,  Tobias  
Hicks  Jasper  N 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  13,  '64 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Oct.    28,  '62 
Oct.    17,  '62 
July    21,  '64 
Mar.     7,  '65 
July    26,  '64 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Mar.  29,  '64 

Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.    13,  '64 
Oct.    18,  '64 
Oct.    28,  '62 
Sept.     3,  '64 
Oct.    '3,  '62 
July    26,  '64 
Aug.     5,  '64 
Oct.    28,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Sept.  12,  '64 

Oct.      3,  '62 
Oct.    27,  '64 
Sept.    8,  '64 
Sept.  12,  '64 

Horton,  Elmer  O  
Hiney,  Silas  F  
Henry,  David  

Hughes,  Henry  
Jeremy,  Charles  W  
Johnson,  George  
Jackson,  John. 

.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 

Kugkendall,  Miles  
Kirby,  James  
Kemp,  John  
Kipple,  Joseph  S 

Laush,  Hiram  

Lurcock,  Wm.  E  
Lehr,  Henry  
Larkin,  James  
Lunn,  Herrick  
Lamareux,  S.  H 

Morley,  William  
Meyers,  Andrew  A  

Murphy,  Wilson  
Monday,  John  
M'Intire,  Calvin  C.  .  .  . 
M'Cleary,  George  

423 


COMPANY  D.  (Continued) 


DATE  OF 

MUSTER  INTO 

SERVICE 


M'Govern,  Joseph.  . 

Neal,  Chester 

Noble,  William  H .  . 
Oliver,  Adam  E .  .  .  . 

Osborne,  Daniel  G. . 

Price,  Watkins 

Post,  Joseph 

Pitcher,  Sylvanus..  . 

Price,  William 

Pitcher,  Joel  D 

Rohan,  Peter 

Reeser,  David 

Rockwell,  Chas.  H.. 
Rockefeller,  Rob't.  . 
Reynolds,  Ezra  E.. . 
Richards,  Robert. .  . 
Slocum,  Judson  W. . 
Stauffer,  Daniel  F.  . 
Shenk,  Philip  R.... 

Spence,  John 

Sollenberger,  David. 
Stinger,  Solomon .  .  . 
Smith,  Charles  H... 

Smith,  John  M 

Stan  ton,  Eben  E.  .  . 
Stanton,  Charles  W. 

Smith,  Myers 

Stem,  Samuel 

Shuler,  Jacob 

Stanton,  James  W. . 

Sible,  Parker 

Tompkins,  Ira 

Tousand,  John 

Tyrell,  Curtis  B 

Taylor,  John 

Tyrell,  Hiram  M .  .  . 

Tripp,  Henry  P .  .  .  . 

Tripp,  William 

Upson,  Cyrus 

Verbeck,  Philip 

Vandercrook,  Dan. . 

Valentine,  Wm.  H.. 


Private. 
...do. . 
...do.. 
...do.. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


.do. 

.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 

.do. 
.  do . 
.do. 


.do... 


Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 

loot. 

July 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Sept. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Feb. 

Oct. 

[Oct. 

Sept. 

{Sept. 

[July 

Sept. 

jSept. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct.' 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Oct. 


. ..do. 
...do. 


.  .  .  [Deserted  March  31,  1865. 

'62 [  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

'62  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  April  6,  1863. 

'62j  Prisoner  from  Sept.  29,  1864,  to  Feb.  22,  1865— mustered 

|     out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62 [Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  20,  1864.. 


Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  '1865. 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 


'64 

'62 

'62| Killed  at  White  Post,  Va.,  Aug.  11,  1864. 

Deserted  November  20,  1862. 
'62  Deserted  November  15,  1862. 


'64 


Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 


Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62  Discharged  by  General  Order,  July  24,  1865. 
'62 'Mus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
'64  Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  9,  1865. 
'62  Deserted  November  15,  1862. 
'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64J  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64J  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64!  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64[ Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62j  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62 1  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  May  14,  1865. 
'62 [Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Jan.  16,  1864. 
'62  Tr.  to  V.  R.  C.,  Jan.  16,  '64— disch.  by  G.  O.,  Sept.  4,  '65. 
'62jMus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
'64jMus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 


62  DJed  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  Jan,  16.  '64— bu.  rec..  Feb.  4,  '63 
'62  Died  at  Culpepper  C.  H.,  Va.,  Feb.  14,  1864— bu.  in  Nat. 

Cem.,  block  1,  section  A,  row  2,  grave,  64. 
Oct.      3,  '62  Died  in  Bradford  county,  Pa.,  Nov.,  1863. 
Oct.      3,  '62  Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Jan.  16,  1864. 
Oct.    28,  '62  Transferred    to    Vet.    Res.    Corps,    June    23,    1863 — dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  Aug.  21,  1865. 

Oct.    28,  '62  Wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  1865— discharged  by 
General  Order,  June  7,  1865. 


Oct. 
Oct. 


...do...  Oct.      3 


.  ...do. 

.  ...do. 

.  ...do. 

.  ...do. 

. . .do. 


Oct. 
Sept. 
Oct. 
Oct. 


Mus.  out  with  Co.  L,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 


Sept.    6 


Welch,  Thomas 

Wolcott,  William  R. 
Wiles,  Alonson .... 


Wayman,  Darius.  .  . 
Wood,  Sylvester  W. 
Wilber,  Perry 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


Williams,  Albert... 
Wolcott,  Loren  B.. 
Wolcott,  Joseph. . . 
Wilson,  George. .  . . 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 

.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


Aug. 
Oct. 
Sept. 

Oct. 
Nov. 
Mar. 

Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 
Oct. 


Died  Jan.  1,  1863,  of  wounds  received  at  Occoquan,  Va., 
Dec.  28,  1862. 

'62  Died  at  Giesboro,  Md.,  September  8,  1864— buried  in 
National  Cemetery,  Arlington,  Va. 

'621  Captured — died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Oct.  26,  1864. 

'64i  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

'62 1  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Sept.  10,  1863. 

'62  Died  at  Fairfax  Seminary,  Va.,  July  2,  1863— buried  in 
Nat.  Cem.,  Alexandria,  grave,  875. 

'64  Captured— died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  March  ,1865— bu. 
i  record,  Feb.  28,  1865,  at  Richmond,  Va. 

'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

'64  Cap'd  at  Fisher's  Hill,  Va.,  Sept.  29,  1864 — ab.,  at  Camp 
Parole,  Annapolis,  Md.,  at  muster  out 

'62  Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  2,  1865. 

'62  Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  16,  1865. 

'64  Captured  at  Dinw'iddie  C.  H.,  Va.,  March  31,  '65— dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  21,  1865. 

'62  Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  9,  1865. 

'62 [Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  12,  1865. 

'62 !  Deserted — date  unknown. 

'62JNot  on  muster-out  roll. 


424 


COMPANY  E. 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

William  Tice  

Reuben  R.  Reinhold  .  .  . 
Levi  F.  Loux  

Capt.  .  .  . 

1st  Lt.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
2d  Lt  .  .  . 

IstSgt.. 
Q.M.Sr.. 
Com.  Sr. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
Serg't.  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

Oct.    27,  '62 

Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Oct.    27,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.    9,  '64 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Aug.  31,  '64 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.    18,  '64 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Wounded  at  Old  Church  Tavern,  Va.,  May  30,  1864— 
discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Major,  Oct.  22,  1862. 
Pr.  fr.  Sgt.  to  1st  Sgt.,  Aug.  1,  '64  —  to  2d  Lt.,  Nov.  9,  '64  — 
to  1st  Lt.,  Mar.  10,  '65  —  disch.'  by  G.  O.,  June  20,  '65. 
Promoted  to  2d  Lt.,  Nov.  25,  1862  —  to  Captain  company 
I,  Feb.  13,  1865. 
Promoted  from  1st  Sgt.,  Nov.  25,  1862  —  to  Captain  com 
pany  I,  July  2,  1864.    Killed 
Killed  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  1865. 
Absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Pr.  fr.  Sgt.,  Apr.  13,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  April  13,  1863. 
Wd.  at  Opequan,  Va.,  Sept.  19,  1864  —  mustered  out  with 
company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted   from   Corporal,   March   1,   '63  —  mustered  out 
with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  May  11,  1863—  to  Serg't,  Nov.  1,  1863—  mus 
tered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  1863  —  to  Serg't,  Nov.  26,  1864  —  mus 
tered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  1863—  to  Serg't,  Nov.  26,  1864—  mus 
tered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Killed  at  Stevenson's  Depot,  Va.,  Nov.  16,  1864. 
Promoted  to  Corporal,  Sept.  20,  1862  —  to  Sergeant,  Nov. 
25,  1862—  died  Nov.  13,  1863. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  26,  '62  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  1,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr  to  Cor.,  Nov.  26,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  26,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  26,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Accidentally  wounded,  May  6,  1864  —  pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov. 
26,  '64  —  mustered  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '64. 
Wd.  at  Hanover  C.  H.,  Va.,  May  28,  '64  —  pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov. 
26,  1864  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1864. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  May  11,  1863—  wd.  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  May 
28,  1864—  captured  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864— 
died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Dec.  20,  1864. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  28,  1863. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Sept.  13,  1864—  discharged 
by  General  Order,  June  29,  1865. 
Killed  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864. 
Deserted  December  1,  1862. 
Deserted  December  1,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  1865  —  mustered  out 
with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Kearnysville,  Va.,  Aug.  24,  1864  —  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Capt'd  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864  died  at  Salisbury 
Disch.  by  General  Order,  June  9,  1865  died  at  Salisbury 
Captured  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Mar.  25,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Mar.  30,  1863. 
Wounded  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  13,  '64  —  trans 
ferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Jan.  24,  1865. 
Died  in  Lebanon  County,  Pa.,  Aug.  29,  1863. 
Deserted  December  1,  1862. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  E,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Urias  R.  Reinhold  
Martin  R.  Reinhold.... 

Jesse  B.  Flickinger  
Geo.  W.  Lininger  
Aaron  E.  Killmer  
Samuel  Groh  
Henry  Ault 

JohnPiffer  
Jacob  A.  Loose  
Cyrus  Biechy  

John  Hipp  

...do.  .. 

...do... 
...do... 

Corp.  .  .  . 
...do.  .. 
...do... 
do 

Martin  Shaffner  
John  Berkhiser  

Oliver  B.  Seigrist  
Samuel  Yeingst  
E.  Lindenmuth  
John  Wise 

Benjamin  Kersnitz  
Rud.  Donmoyer  

William  F  Saltzer 

...do... 
...do.  .. 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 

do 

Moses  M'Kinney  
Franklin  B  Deck 

David  Fornwalt  
Jeremiah  Mumah  

...do... 

...do... 
do 

Wm.  H.  H.  Weaber  
A.  Donneberger  
Henry  P  Moyer. 

...do... 
Bugler.  . 
do 

William  Shartle 

Black'h 
Farrier.  . 
Saddler.. 
Private.. 

...do.  .. 
.  ..do.  .  . 

J.  J.  K.  Gittleman  
Michael  Betz  
Batdorf,  William  

Border,  John  

Baker,  Thomas  
Blystone,  Abraham 

do 

Bitner,  George 

do 

Beckner,  David  
Behney,  Jeremiah  
Bernhart,  Mont  
Burk,  John  
Binner,  William  
Burkhiser  Nich's. 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
do 

Betz,  Henry  

.  ..do.  .. 

...do... 
...do... 
do 

Bedger,  John  H  
Boyer,  Thomas  
Carpenter,  Alvin  M 

Deckhart,  John  H  

...do... 

425 


COMPANY  E.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTC 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Donneberger,  D  

Private..  Sept.  19,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Dick,  Andrew  G  

...do.  .  . 

Sept.  13,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Davis,  John.  . 

.  .  .do. 

Sept.  26,  '62  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Mar.  4,  1864. 

Dearwechter,  Dan'l.  .  .  . 

...do.. 

Oct.    18,  '62  Killed  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864. 

Dunmoyer,  Lewis  

.  ..do.  . 

Oct.      2,  '62  Killed  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  July  2,  '64  —  buried  in  National 

Cemetery,  Arlington. 

Duttrey,  Frederick  

...do.. 

Sept.  26,  '62  Deserted  December  1,  1862. 

Enck,  Joseph  

...do.. 

Oct.    12,  '64  Mus.  out  with  Co.  E,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Eshelman,  Isaac  

.  ..do.  . 

Oct.      2,  '62  Died  of  wounds  received  in  action  at  Kearnysville,  Va., 

August  23,  1864. 

Friend,  Michael 

do 

Sept.  19,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Filbert,  Franklin  F.  .  .  . 

...do... 

Aug.  23,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Foltz,  William  A  

...do.  .. 

Sept.    3,  '64'  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Fox,  Adam 

do 

Sept.     9,  *64!  Wounded  at  Stevenson  's  Dpnnt.  Va  ..  Nnv    Ifi    'R4-  —  rrme- 

tered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Frymoyer,  Daniel 

do 

Aug.  24,  '64 

A/fnstprpH  nnt  with  rr»mr»anv     Timp  1fi     1  RfiK 

Frederick,  David  

...do... 

Sept.    3,  '64iAbsent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 

Fisher,  Franklin  

...do... 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Mar.  13,  1863. 

Foster,  Henry  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Aug.  11,  '64 

Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  23,  1865. 

Frederick,  Henry  

...do... 

Sept.  13,  '64 

Killed  at  Stevenson's  Depot,  Va.,  Nov.  16,  1864. 

Firestone,  Benj  

...do... 

Aug.  22,  '64 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Garloff,  Benneville  

...do... 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Wounded  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864  —  mustered  out 

with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Galbach,  John  H  

...do... 

Sept.  19,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Garletts,  Norman  B..  .  . 

...do... 

Sept.     1,  '64 

Substitute  —  mustered  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1865. 

Garman,  Jacob  

...do... 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Captured  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864  died  Salisbury 

Geib,  Henry. 

do 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Wounded  at  Stevenson's  Depot,  Va.,  Nov.  16,  1864  —  dis 

charged  by  General  Order,  June  9,  1865. 

Gingerich,  John  P  

...do... 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve  Corps,   May  4,   1864—  dis 

charged  by  General  Order,  July  5,  1865. 

Horner,  William  

...do... 

Aug.  23,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Hoffman,  James  

...do... 

Aug.   16,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Hummer,  Mich'l  R.  .  .  . 

...do... 

Aug.  22,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Hoke,  John  

...do... 

Oct.    26,  '62 

Captured  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864—  died  at  Salis 

bury,  N.  C.,  February  15,  1865. 

Hilterbrand,  Wm  

..do.  .  . 

Oct.    26,  '62 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  E,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Howar,  John  H  

..do... 

Oct.    18.  '64 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  D,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Hitz,  Samuel  

..do.  .  . 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Died  at   Point  Lookout,   Md.,  June  8,  of  wds.  rec.  at 

Meadow  Bridge,  Va.,  May  12,  1864. 

Keller,  Cyrus  

..do.  .  . 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Kreider,  John  B  

..do... 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Katzaman,  Wm  

..do... 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Killmer,  Jonathan  

..do... 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Kintzle,  Henry  S  

..do.  .  . 

Aug.  22,  '64 

Wounded  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864  —  mustered  out 

with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Kershner,  John  

..do... 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 

Kreitz,  Frederick  

..do.  .  . 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Wounded  at  Shepherdstown,  W.  Va.,  Aug.  25,  '64  —  dis 

charged  by  General  Order,  June  19,  1865. 

Kurtz,  Henry  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    16,  '62 

Capt'd  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864.  Died  at  Salisbury 

Kahley,  Joseph. 

do 

Oct.    16,  '62 

Absent  at  muster  out. 

Kreider,  John  H  

...do... 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Deserted  December  1,  1862. 

Knouse,  William  E  .  .  .  . 

...do... 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Deserted  July  1,  1863. 

Miller,  Lemuels  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Wounded  in  action,  Sept.  26,   1864  —  mustered  out  with 

company,  June  16,  1865. 

Morgantyler,  M  

...do... 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Miller,  David  H  

...do... 

Sept.    3,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Manspeaker,  Sam'l  .... 

...do... 

Sept.    2,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16  ,1865. 

Manahan,  Hiram  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.    3,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Meckley,  Eli  

...do... 

Aug.  26,  '64 

Captured  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864—  died  at  Salis 

bury,  N.  C.,  November  26.  1864. 

Mease,  Jacob  W  

...do... 

Oct.    26.  '62 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  E,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Murr,  Peter  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    13,  '64 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  E,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Moyer,  John  A  

.  ..do.  .. 

Nov.  23,  '64 

Mus,  out  with  Co.  E.  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Metz,  John  

...do... 

Sept.    2,  '64 

Des.  from  Co.  E,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  —  date  unknown. 

Moll,  Richard  W  

...do... 

Aug.  23,  '64 

Killed  at  Stevenson's  Depot,  Va.,  Nov.  16,  1864—  buried  in 

National  Cemetery,  Winchester,  lot  17. 

Miller,  George  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  19,  '62 

Died  February  18,  1863. 

Miller.  Reuben  

...do.  ..(Sept.  18,  '62 

Died  March  14,  1863. 

426 


COMPANY  E.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 

MUSTER  INTC 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Miller,  John  D  
M'Intyre,  James  
M'Phern,  John  
M'Quade,  Henry  
M'Donough,  Benj  
Noll,  Isaac  
Noftzger  Gottleib 

Private.  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.     1,  '64 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  13,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Aug.  24,  '64 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Sept.  13,  '64 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Aug.  26,  '64 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Sept.  10,  '64 
Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  18,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Sept.     1,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  19  v  '62 

Sept.  19,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Deserted  December  1,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Captured  at  Shepherdstown,  W,  Va.,  Aug.  25,  1864. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Dec.  31,  1862. 
Died  January  19,  1864. 
Deserted  December  1.  1862, 
Deserted  December  1,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865.  . 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  in  action,  Oct.  9,  1864  —  mustered  out  with  com 
pany,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Stevenson's  Depot,  Va.,  Nov.  16,  '64  —  mus 
tered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
Discharged  by.  General  Order,  June  23,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Dec.  31,  1862. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Mar.  4,  1864. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve  Corps,  Sept.  6,   1863  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  29,  1865. 
Deserted  —  date  unknown. 
Killed  at  Stevenson's  Depot,  Va.,  Nov.  16,  1864. 
Deserted  December  1,  1862. 
Deserted  December  1,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864  —  mustered  out 
with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Vlustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Vlustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Vlustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  19,  1865. 
Absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  19,  1865. 
Absent  at  muster  out. 
Killed  at  Shepherdstown,  Va.,  Aug.  23,  1864. 
Deserted  July  5,  1863. 
Wounded  at  Meadow  Bridge,  Va.,  May  12,  1864  —  mus 
tered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Absent,  on  detached  service,  at  muster  out.  Wounded 
Tr.  to  Co.  D,  llth  reg.  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  March  15,  1864— 
discharged  by  General  Order,  July  7,  1865. 

Osburn,  John  
Peters,  John  F  
Ruth,  George  
Reck,  Joseph  
Rowe,  William 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Rinehold,  Benj.  R  
Steiner,  Samuel  F  

Seyler,  Ephraim  E  
Short,  Joseph  
Stoll,  Jacob  
Swisher,  Henry  
Sheffler,  Jeremiah  

Sergeant,  Henry  
Shires,  John  
Spangler,  Abner  J  
Schlasseman,  John  
Siders,  George  P  

Siders,  David 

...do... 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

do 

Sell,  Edward  
Spangler,  Frank  M  .  .  .  . 
Shultz,  John  
Tobias,  Joseph 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
..do.  .  . 
..do.  .  . 
..do.  .  . 

Tice,  Michael  

Vanpossen,  Joseph  
Wertz,  Adam  
Wagner,  Isaac  
Wike,  Martin  

Woomer,  Wm.  A  
Walter,  Dallas  
Williams,  John  
Woomer,  Aaron  R  
Warner,  Jona'n  T  
Yiengst,  Henry  

Zeller,  Josiah. 

..do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

do 

Zimmerman,  John  

...do... 

COMPANY  F. 


Charles  Lee 

Capt..  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

1st  Lt..  . 
do 

Oct.   31,  '62 
Oct.      1,  '62 

Oct.      1,  '62 
Oct.    31,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 

Oct.      1,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Oct.      1,  '62 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Oct.      1,  '62 

Resigned  May  17,  1863. 
Pr.  fr.  1st  Sgt.  to  2d  Lt.,  May  25,  1863—  to  Capt.,  Mar.  8, 
'64—  disch.  by  General  Order,  June  20,  '65. 
Resigned  March  9,  1863. 
Pr.  fr.  2d  Lt.,  May  25,  '63  —  resigned  Aug.  29,  1863. 
Pr.  fr.  Sgt.,  Mar.  7,  '64  —  died  at  Madison  C.  H.,  Va.,  Dec. 
25,  of  wds.  rec.  at  Gordonsville,  Dec.  23,  '64. 
Pr.  fr.  Sgt.  to  2d  Lt.,  Mar.  22,  '64—  to  1st  Lt.,  Mar.  10, 
1865—  disch.  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Promoted  from  1st  Sergeant,  March  10,  1865  —  discharged 
Aug.  28,  to  date  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Adjutant,  Nov.  20,  1862. 
Pr.  fr.  Cor.  to  Sgt.,  July  1,  '63  —  to  1st  Sgt.,  Mar.  27,  '64  — 
died  of  wds.  rec.  at  Leetown,  Va.,  Aug.  27,  '64. 
Pr.  fr.  Cor.,  July  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  fr.  priv.,  Feb.  12,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Joel  S.  Sponsler  

Theodore  T.  Tate  
John  K.  Beidler 

Alfred  F.  Lee 

do 

JohnH.  Paul  
James  B.  Green  
Perry  J.  Tate 

...do... 
2d  Lt  .  .  . 

1st  Sgt.  . 
...do... 

Serg't.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do.  .  . 

WilsonS.  Severs  

Amos  T.  Fisher  .*. 
John  F.  Dull  
C.  C.  Hutchinson  

427 


COMPANY  F.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

J.  W.  Frownfelter  
John  W.  Creamer  
Benj.  W.  Walker 

Serg't.  .. 
...do.  .  . 
do 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Dec.  30,  '63 

Oct.    18,  '62 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Aug.  30,  '64 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Feb.  16,  '64 

Feb.   23,  '64 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 

Sept.  23,  '62 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Oct.    13,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Mar.  28,  '64 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Oct.    28,  '62 
Oct.    13,  '62 
Sept,  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Oct.    28,  '62 
Feb.   25,  '64 
Feb.    17;  '64 
Oct.    21,  '64 
Feb.     8,  '64 
Oct.    29,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Aug.  26,  '64 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Oct.    29,  '62 
Sept.     1.  '64 
Jan.    20,  '64 
Feb.   29,  '64 
Oct.    18,  '62 
Aug.  24,  '64 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Aug.  30,  '64 
Oct.    24,  '62 
Oct.    19,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Feb.   25,  '64 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  March  27,  1864—  to  Sgt.,  Sept.  1,  1864— 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Feb.  12,  '64  —  to  Sgt.,  Dec.  1,  '64  —  wd.  at  Five 
Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  '65  —  ab.  at  muster  out. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  March  9,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  15,  1864. 
Promoted   from   private,   March   27,   1864  —  wounded   at 
Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864—  mus.  out  with  Co.  M, 
2d  reg.  Provisional  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  July  1,  '63  —  to  Sgt.,  July  1,  '64  —  wd  at 
Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d 
reg.  Provisional  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  July  1,  1863—  to  Sgt.,  Feb.  12,  1864— 
killed  at  Meadow  Bridge,  Va.,  May  12,  '64. 
Promoted  from  Corporal,  July  1,  1863  —  died  of  wounds 
received  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  '64. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  15,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Sept.  1,  '64—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Dec.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Dec.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Feb.  1,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Discharged  November  10,  1863. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  July  1,  '64  —  mustered  out  with  Co.  F, 
2d  reg.  Provisional  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  Feb.  1,  '65  —  mustered  out  with  Co.  F, 
2d  reg.  Provisional  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Accidentally  killed  at  Brandy  Station,  Va.,  Aug.  2,  '63. 
Pr.  to  Corporal,  Feb.  24,  1864—  died  Sept.  LI,  of  wds.  rec. 
at  Shepherdstown,  Va.,  Aug.  25,  1864. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  1864  —  capt'd  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept. 
24,  '64  —  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Jan.  20,  '65. 

Leander  V.  B.  So  per.  .  . 

...do.  .. 

Samuel  M'Beth  

...do..  . 

Jacob  S.  Super  
Daniel  Hollinger. 

...do.  .  . 
do 

Emanuel  A.  Smith  

...do.  .. 

John  C.  M'Bride  
Abraham  J.  Zeigler.  .  .  . 
Benjamin  W.  Gill. 

Corp  
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Christian  Deitch  
Harrison  E.  Trego  

...do... 
...do.  .. 

Jacob  Kutz  

...do... 
do 

John  P.  Reily.  .  . 

David  R.Allen  

William  Shaw  
Solomon  Low  

M.  V.  Shoemaker  

Jacob  H.  M'Bride  
John  T.  Erisman  
Wm.  H.  M'Bride  
George  I.  Ginter. 

...do... 

...do... 
...do..  . 

...do... 

Bugler.  . 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
Black'h 
...do.  .. 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve  Corps,  Dec.  9,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Des.  fr.  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  June  26,  1865. 
Died  at  Winchester,  Va.,  Jan.  2,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  17,  1865. 
Deserted  October  15,  1862. 
Deserted  July  15,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  from  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  July  9,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Killed  at  Newtown,  Va.,  Oct.  11,  1864. 

Samuel  Stout  

Wm.  H.  Weaver  
John  Jennings  
Atchison,  John 

...do... 
Saddler.. 
Private.. 
.  ..do..  . 

Albright,  Jeremiah  

Beitler,  Henry  G  

...do... 

Busse,  Henry  
Boyer,  Isaac  W  
Bennett,  James  
Bitner,  Fritz  

...do... 
...do.  .. 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 

Burget,  John  
Brown,  Joseph  
Croman,  Jacob  G  
Crider,  Joseph  
Corman,  Parker  
Gorman,  Martin  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 

Deserted  Nov.  6,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Prisoner  from  Oct.  11,  1864,  to  Feb.  5,  1865  —  disch.  by 
General  Order,  June  27,  1865. 
Killed  at  Brandy  Station,  Va.,  Oct.  11,  1863. 
Deserted  November  6,  1862. 
Absent,  in  arrest,  at  muster  out. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Killed  at  Newtown,  Va.,  Oct.  11,  1864. 

Coover,  Samuel  

Carl,  David  R  
Clark,  William  
Davis,  Charles  H  

Darr,  Henry  
Deshong,  Francis  
Deardorff,  Samuel  
Diller,  Thomas  J  

Evilhock,  Chas.  W  
Evans,  William  
Evilhock,  Camel  

...do... 
...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.do 

Captured  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864  —  died  at  Salis 
bury,  N.  C.,  Jan.  10,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Killed  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864. 
Deserted  October  20,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  23,  1865. 

Earnst  John  C. 

Fagan,  John  B  
Finkinbinder,  S  

...do... 
...do... 

428 


COMPANY  F.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Finkinbinder,  Jos  
Flinchbauch,  W.  B  

Ford,  William  
Galbraith,  John  H  
Camber,  William  
Glace,  Daniel 

Private.  . 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.do. 

Feb.   23,  '64 
Aug.  30,  '64 

Oct.    13,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Aug.  31,  '64 
Oct.    13,  '62 

Prisoner  from  Sept.  24,  1864,  to  March,  1865  —  disch.  by 
General  Order,  July  1,  1865. 
Capt'd  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  '64—  died  at  Salisbury, 
N.  C.,  Jan.  20,  '65—  bu.  record,  Dec.  2,  1864. 
Deserted  November  2,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Sept.  20,  1864—  discharged 
by  General  Order,  Aug.  8,  1865. 
Died  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  Dec.  9,  1864—  burial  rec.  Nov.  19, 
1864  —  bu.  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Antietam,  sec.  26,  lot  F,  grave 
546. 
Deserted  November  1,  1862. 
Mot  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Prisoner  from  Sept.  24,  1864,  to  Feb.  28,  '65  —  disch.  by 
General  Order,  June  28,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Captured  at  Newtown,  Va.,  Oct.  11,  1864  —  died  at  Rich 

Ginter  Peter 

do 

Graham,  John  
Green,  William  P  
Hartman,  Abraham  
Hocker,  Levi  F  

Handshell,  Daniel  
Hernise,  Michael  
Heckendorn,  Geo  
Hershberger,  Amos  .... 

Harper,  Joseph  
Hoover,  Jacob  D  
Jones,  Richard  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
..do... 

Oct.    24,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Aug.  31,  '64 
Sept.  23,  '62 

Dec.  30,  '63 
Feb.   29,  '64 
Mar.  28,  '64 
Dec.  30,  '63 

Oct.    18,  '62 
Oct.      1,  '62 
Sept.  16,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Aug.  30,  '64 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Oct.    20,  '64 
Sept.  23,  '62 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Oct.      1,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
April  14,  '64 

Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  24,  '64 
Oct.    21,  '62 
Jan.    14,  '64 
Aug.  16,  '64 
Sept.  23,  '62 

Oct.      1,  '62 

Mar.  16,  '64 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Oct.    15,  '64 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Mar.    8,  '64 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '62 
Oct.    19,  '62 
Oct.    21,  '64 
Sept.  23,  '62 

mond,  Jan.  25,  1865  —  bu.  rec.,  Jan.  1,  1865,  at  Salis 
bury,  N.  C. 
Deserted  October  25,  1862. 
Deserted  October  15,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Sept.  20,  1864. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Dec.  7,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  Brandy  Station,  Va.,  Feb.  2,  '64  —  bu.  in  Nat. 
Cem.,  Culpepper  C.  H.,  block  1.  sec.  A,  row  1,  grave,  31. 
Died  at  Coal  Landing,  Va.,  March  24,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  December  18,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Sept.  15,  1863. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Nov.  15,  1863. 
Tr.  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Mar.  18,  1864 
Wounded  at  Dinwiddie  C.  H.,  Va.,  March  31,  '65—  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  12,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  V.  R.  C.—  disch.  by  G.  O.,  July  20,  '65. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Deserted  November  25,  1864. 
Prisoner  from  May  3,  to  December  13,  1864—  disch. 
by  General  Order,  June  19,  1865. 
Captured  at  Brandy  Station,  Va.,  October  11,  1863  —  died 
at  Richmond,  May  2,  1864. 
Died  May  12,  1864—  bu.  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Arlington,  Va. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Deserted  March  15,  1863. 
Killed  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Deserted  from  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  July  14,  '65. 
Deserted  October  25,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  April  10,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Killed  at  Newtown,  Va.,  October  11,  1864. 

Jones,  Thomas  

Kinard,  Aaron  B  

.do 

Kelly,  John  
Kutz  Benjamin  D. 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

do 

Kintz,  Jacob  

Kauffman,  Jno.  W  
Kutz  David 

...do... 
do 

Lyter,  Joseph  S  

Low,  David  
Lehman,  Jacob  
Lesser,  John  
Lyter,  Jacob  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

.do 

Leidig,  Wesley  B  
Lyter,  John  
Lochard,  Rich'd  W.  .  .  . 

Miller,  Joseph  C  

Mixell,  Jacob  
Mentzer,  David 

...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
do 

Mock  Thomas 

Marsh,  William  A  
Murray,  Charles  W.  .  .  . 
M'Culloch,  Jas.  M  

M'Gag,  George  W  

M'Kinney,  Wm.  H.... 
Naugle,  George  D  
Nunemaker,  Sam'l.  . 

Naugle,  George  W 

do 

Natcher,  Charles  B  
O'Donnell,  James  
Price,  Henry  
Penner,  John  
Peterson,  Alex  
Robinson,  Wm.  H  
Ringwalt,  Cyrus  
Rineheart,  John  

...do... 
...do... 
do 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do 

Rosenberger,  Geo  
Ringwalt,  Lewis  

...do..  . 
...do... 

28— 17th  R. 


429 


COMPANY  F.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO                                                              REMARKS 
SERVICE 

Robinson,  John  
Raker,  Isaac  
Russell,  James  
Shroyer,  John  A  
Shetron,  Jacob  
Snyder,  Samuel  
Sennet,  John. 

Private.. 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Aug.   16,  '64  Deserted  Nov.  25,  1864. 
Sept.  14,  '64  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Oct.    29,  '64  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Aug.   31,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve  Corps  —  discharged  by  General 

Simons,  George  
Smith,  John  
Still,  Jeremiah  

Spealman,  James  A.  ... 

Snyder,  Pius  
Spease,  Thomas  

Shroyer,  James  O  
Stauffer,  Emanuel  .  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
.  .do 

Order,  June  26,  1865. 
Oct.    19,  '62  Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Feb.    12,  '64  Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  23,  1865. 
Mar.     8,  '64  Prisoner  from  October  4,  1864,  to  February  16,  1865— 
discharged  by  General  Order,  June  12,  1865. 
Feb.   29,  '64  Wd.  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864  —  mustered  out  with 
Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Oct.    17,'  64  Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  July  12,  1863—  buried  in  Mili 
tary  Asylum  Cemetery. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Absent,  in  arrest,  at  muster  out. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Captured  at  Newtown,  Va.,  Oct.  11,  1864  —  died  at  Rich 

Smith,  William  
Sour,  Jacob  L  
Smith,  Peter  

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

mond,  February  1,  1865. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Deserted  October  12,  1862. 
Oct.      1,  '62  Deserted  October  25,  1862. 
Oct.      1,  '62  Deserted  October  25,  1862. 

Slusser,  William  A  
Stevens,  Thomas  ...... 
Thompson,  Wm.  R.  .  .  . 
Tritt,  William  M  
Warner,  Edward  H  .  .  .  . 
Williams,  Samuel  
White,  Henry  H. 

.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Jan.      8,  '64  Deserted  November  25,  1864. 
Sept.    9,  '64  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.    2,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  April  11,  1864. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Walck,  Jacob  
Weant,  William  
Weaver,  Israel  I  
Wilson,  Henry  I  
Whitmer,  Samuel  G. 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Aug.  30,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Aug.  30,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.    2,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  16,  1865. 

Waltz,  George  L  
Wolf,  John  

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    20,  '62  Transferred  to  Co.  C,  13th  reg.  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  — 
•     discharged  by  General  Order,  Aug.  14,  '65. 
Oct.    13,  '62  Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Wilson,  William  
Wentz,  William  B  

Wilson,  Samuel  L  
Zinn,  John  H  

Zeigler,  David  
Zug,  Abner  W  

.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

Feb.    11,  '64  Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  9,  1865. 
Oct.    19,  '62  Deserted  July  19,  1864  —  returned  April  1,  1865  —  des.  from 
Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  June  26,  1865. 
Aug.   13,  '64  Deserted  November  25,  1864. 
Dec.  30,  '63  Prisoner  from  Sept.  24,  1864,  to  Feb.  28,  1865—  discharged 
by  General  Order,  June  27,  1865. 
Mar.     8,  '64  Mus.  out  with  Co.  F,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Sept.  23,  '62  Died  at  Windmill  Point,  Va.,  Feb.  1,  1863. 

COMPANY  G. 


Luther  B.  Kurtz  

Capt..  .  .'Oct. 

30, 

'62  Promoted  to  Major,  February  13,  1865. 

Daniel  Snively  

.  ..do.  .  .Oct. 

6, 

'62 

Promoted    from    1st    Lieutenant,    March    10,    1865  —  dis 

charged  by  General  Order,  June  21,  1865. 

Henry  G.  Bonebrake..  . 

1st  Lt..  . 

Sept. 

20, 

'<>2 

Promoted  from  1st  Sergeant  to  2d  Lieutenant,  Dec.  28, 

1864—  to    1st    Lieutenant,    May    28,    1865  —  disch.    by 

General  Order,  June  21,  1865. 

William  R.  Kreps  

2d  Lt  .  .  . 

Oct. 

30, 

"02 

Resigned  February  6,  1864. 

Jacob  Potter  

2d  Lt  .  .  . 

Sept. 

26, 

'62 

Promoted  from  Q.  M.  Sgt.,  May  28,  '65  —  mustered  out 

with  Co.  E,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

John  J.  Robinson  

1st  Sgt.  .  Sept. 

26, 

'62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct.  31,  '63—  to  Sgt.,  Apr.  30,  '64—  to  1st  Sgt., 

j     Apr.  30,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

James  D.  Fitz  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept. 

2<>, 

'62  Died  Aoril  9.  of  wds.  rec.  at  Five  Forks.  Va..  Aoril  1.  1865 

—  buried  in  Nat.  Cem.,  Arlington. 

George  F.  Foreman.  .  .  . 

Q.  M.Sr. 

Sept. 

26. 

'62 

Pr.  from  Cor.  to  Sgt.,  Oct.  31,  '63  —  to  Q.  M.  Sergt.,  April 

30,  '65—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1865. 

Peter  Pass  

Com.  Sr. 

Sept. 

26, 

'62,  Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct.  31,  '63—  to  Com.  Sergt.,  April  30,  1865— 

mustered  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1865. 

Daniel  Gehr  

...do... 

Sept. 

26, 

'62  Died  May  10,  1865—  burial  record,  March  11,  1865—  bu. 

in  Poplar  Grove    National    Cemetery,  Petersburg,  Va., 

division  A,  section  B,  grave,  5. 

430 


COMPANY  G.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Henry  Burger  

Serg't  .  .  . 

Sept.  26,  '62  Pr.  to  Cor..  Aue.  31.  1863  —  to  Set..  Aoril  30.  1865  —  mus- 

tered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Abraham  Shockey  

...do... 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  30,  1864—  to  Sgt.,  April  30,  1865—  mus 

tered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

William  Shelden  

...do... 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Promoted  from   Corporal,  Aug.  31,   1863  —  to  Sgt.  —  dis 

charged  by  General  Order,  June  16,  1865. 

David  Royer  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  April  30,  1863  —  to  Sgt.,  Oct.  31,  1863  —  wd.  and 

capt'd  at  Gordonsville,  Va.,  Dec.  23,  '64. 

John  J.  Andrews  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    13,  '62 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  1865. 

John  Shockey  

...do... 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Died  of  wounds  rec.  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  June  3,  1864  — 

buried  in  Nat.  Cem.,  section  D. 

William  Cooper  

Corp..  .  . 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  30/64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Scimuel  Phre3.ner 

do 

Sept.  24,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Dec.  31,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Joseph  O.  Flory  

...do... 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Aug.  31,  1863—  wd.  in  action,  March  2,  1864 

—  absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 

John  Strausbaugh  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    15,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct,  31,  '63  —  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  13,  '65. 

James  W.  Kipe  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Mar.  26,  '64 

Promoted  to  Corporal,  Nov.  30,  '64  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Francis  L.  Tracy  

...do... 

Mar.  19,  '64 

Promoted  to  Corporal,  April  30,  '65  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

John  Lowe. 

.  .  .do.  .  . 

Dec.  25,  '63 

Promoted  to  Corporal,  April  30,  '65  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Joseph  Keepers  

...do... 

Oct.    18,  '62 

Promoted  to  Corporal,  April  30,  '65  —  mustered  out  with 

Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865.  —  wounded 

June  9,  1863,  Beverly  Ford,  Va. 

John  Nicodemus  

...do.  .  . 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Died  of  wounds  received  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12, 

1864. 

William  Simmons  

...do... 

Oct.      2,  '62 

Deserted  July  7,  1863. 

Daniel  B   Crouse 

Bugler  . 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16    1865  —  wounded  3.t 

Opequon  Creek,  Sept.  7,  1864. 

William  B.  Crouse  

...do... 

Oct.    18,  '62 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  G.  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,   Aug.   7,    '65  — 

Prisoner  at  Dumfries,  Va. 

Samuel  M'Kee 

Black'h 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Promoted  to  Blacksmith,  October  31,  1863  —  mustered  out 

with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

George  B.  Hawker  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    18,  '62 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Aaron  Harmon  

Farrier.  . 

Oct.    18,  '62 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  D,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Abraham  iMowrey 

Saddler.  . 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Clustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Barnes  John  H  

Private.. 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Bishop,  James  

do 

Oct.    15,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Bishop,  Samuel  

...do... 

Oct.    15,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Baer  Jacob  D 

...  do  ... 

Aug.   24,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Brine,  John  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.    2?,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Bowling,  Francis  J  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Mar.     4,  '64 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.  .Aug.  7,  '65. 

Burket,  Emanuel  

...do... 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Killed  at  Smithfield,  Va.,  August  29,  1864. 

Cordel,  Jacob  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.      2,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Commins,  James  B  .  .  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.    2,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Cover,  Alfred  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    15,  '62 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Carle,  Charles  A  

...do... 

Oct.    30,  '62 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Curley,  John  W  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    24,  '62 

Captured—  discharged  by  G,  O..  June  19,  1865. 

Coleman,  John  B  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.      7,  '62 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Cordell,  Isaac  

...do... 

Oct.      7,  '62 

Died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  October  9,  1864  —  buried  in  U.  S. 

General  Hospital  Cemetery. 

Cook,  Ferdinand  

.  ..do.  .. 

Oct.    26,  '62 

Deserted  October  9,  1863. 

Dickel,  Charles  H  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.    2,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Detrich,  David  C  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.    2,  '64 

Prisoner  from  August  1,  1864,  to  Feb.  28,  1865  —  discharged 

by  General  Order,  June  21,  1865. 

Deal,  Samuel,  

...do... 

Sept.    6,  '64 

Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  18,  1865. 

Dixon,  James  

...do... 

Oct.    18,  '62 

Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  November  28,  1863  —  buried 

in  Military  Asylum  Cemetery. 

Day,  George.  .  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    24,  '62 

Deserted  January  1,  1863. 

Dull,  Benjamin  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Deserted  June  29,  1863. 

Embly,  James  L  

...  do  ... 

Sept.    2,  '64 

Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  21,  1865. 

Embly,  George  F  

...do... 

Sept.    2,  '64 

Deserted    Nov.    4,    1864  —  returned    Feb.    13,    1865  —  dis 

charged  by  General  Order,  June  2,  1865. 

Fitz  John 

...  do  ... 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Clustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Foreman,  John  F  

...do.  .  . 

Aug.  24,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Frye,  Jacob  D  

...do... 

Aug.  29,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Frederick,  John  H  

...do... 

Sept.  10,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

431 


COMPANY  G.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Private.. 
...do... 

do 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.    2,  '62 

Oct.      7,  '64 
Mar.  22,  '64 
Oct.      7,  '62 
Nov.     5,  '62 
Oct.    18,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '64 
Oct.      7,  '62 
Dec.   19,  '63 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Oct     18,  '62 
Oct.    18,  '62 
Oct.      7,  '62 
Oct.    24,  '62 
Oct.      7,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.      6,  '62 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept     3,  '64 
Oct       2,  '62 
Oct     24,  '62 

Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.  19,  '64 
Oct.      7,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Oct.    24,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 

Oct.    24,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.      7,  '62 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Oct.    18,  '62 
Oct.    18,  '62 
Aug.  18,  '64 
Oct.    29,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 

Oct.    29,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Oct.    15,  '62 
Sept.    6,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Aug.   16,  '64 
Oct.    18,  '62 

Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Aug.  7,  1863. 
Tr.  to  Co.  B,  12th  reg.  V.  R.  C.,  July  1,  1863—  discharged 
by  General  Order,  June  28,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  Light  House  Point,  Va.,  July  3,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  19,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Tr.  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  June  30,  1863. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  3,  1865. 
Died  at  Warrenton,  Va.,  February  19,  1864. 
Died  at  Chambersburg,  Pa.,  August  14,  1864. 
Deserted  January  1,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Killed  at  Todd's  Tavern,  Va.,  May  8,  1864. 
Deserted  January  1,  1863. 
Deserted  November  21,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  18,  1865. 
Died  at  Winchester,  Va  ,  Oct    20,  1864,  of  wds.  rec.  in 
action  —  buried  in  Presbyterian  Cemetery. 
Deserted  September  1,  1863. 
Deserted  January  1,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Killed  at  Smithfield,  Va.,  August  29,  1864. 
Killed  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  1865. 
Captured  —  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Feb.  13,  '65  —  burial 

Fitz,  Reuben  

Fitz,  Jacob  ...  . 

Funk  George  G  .  . 

do 

Gonder,  Samuel  

...do.  .  . 

Gilday,  Thomas  J  
Gladhill,  James  O  
Hovis,  Francis  E  
Haddle,  Thomas  
Hissong,  Jere.  P  
Hollenberger,  W.  S.... 
Hellane,  Henry  
Haugh,  William  
Hollenberger,  Joshua..  . 
Harris,  Robert  

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
do 

Keyser,  Charles  H  
Kelley,  James  
Kriner  John 

...do... 
...do.  .. 
do 

Little;  Henry  
Lidy,  George  F  
Loy,  Benjamin  
Leisenger,  L  M  
Ley,  Michael  

Laley,  John  T  
Lee,  Thomas  
Minehart  John. 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do..  . 
...do... 

...do... 
...do.  .  . 
do 

Miller,  John  H  
Morehead,  David  
Musselman,  Jno.  C  .  .  .  . 
Metcalf,  Thomas 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Morganthal,  A.  D  
Mowry,  William  H  .  .  .  . 
Mickley,  John  
Miller,  Daniel  
Morganthal,  E.  F  

Mowrey,  John  B  
Mars,  James  A 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do..  . 
...do... 

...do... 
do 

record,  January  14,  1865. 
Died  at  Mercersburg,  Pa.,  April  8,  1865—  buried  in  Meth 
odist  Episcopal  Cemetery. 
Deserted  January  1,  1863. 
Deserted  January  1,  1863. 
Deserted  April  10,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Deserted  July  1,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Aug.  24,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  5,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  27,  1865. 
Deserted  Aug.  24,  1864  —  returned  January  1,  1865  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  14,  1865. 
Deserted  November  22,  1862 
Deserted  October  3,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  16,  1865. 
,Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Miner,  James  W  
Mooney,  William  

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

M'Garvey,  James  
M'Pherran,  Samuel.  .  .  . 
M  'Sherry,  James 

Niess  Jacob  N 

...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do..  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 

...do.  .. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
do 

Nicodemus,  Jacob  
Pennell,  William  
Polsgrove,  Hezek'h  .... 
Price,  George  B  
Rodgers,  Arnold  
Rhogual,  Charles  C..  .  . 
Rha,  George  
Rodgers,  John  
Richards,  James  J  

Rittler,  Clemence  
Rock,  Samuel  
Swisher,  William  
Strasbaugh,  G.  A  
Stoner,  Joel  
Stouffer,  Abra'm  C  .  .  .  . 
Straley,  Benjamin 

Stull,  William 

do 

Swartzbaugh,  Dan'l..  .  . 
Snively,  George  

...do.  .. 
...do... 

432 


COMPANY  G.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 

MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Shaffer,  John  Private.. 
Shaffner,  Philip  H      .    .         do.    . 

Feb.     5,  '64 
Nov.     5,  '62 

Des.  from  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  July  7,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  May  9,  1863. 
Died  March  12,  1863. 
Died  November  21,  1862. 
Deserted  January  1,  1863. 
Deserted  January  1,  1863. 
Deserted  January  1,  1863. 
Deserted  October  9,  1863. 
Discharged  May  1,  1863. 
Deserted  May  21,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Capt'd  —  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga.,  May  8,  1864. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  A,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  G,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  Aug.  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  Aug.  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  Aug.  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  Aug.  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  Aug.  16,  1865. 

Stull,  Peter 

do     . 

Jan.    14,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.      7,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.    29,  '62 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Aug.  11,  '64 
Sept.  16,  '64 

Shockey,  William. 

do 

Snowberger,  Benj  
Sponsler,  Jonas  

...do... 
...do.  .  . 

Shatzer,  Christian  
Spaulding,  Wm.  B  
Stoner,  John  W          ... 

...do... 
...do... 
..do     . 

Stoops,  Samuel. 

do     . 

Swisher,  George  

...do.  .. 

Shank,  Kphraim  S  

...do... 

Trone,  John  H  

...do... 
.do     . 

Tracy,  Henry     

Unger,  Jacob  A 

do 

Ulwick,  John  
Vise,  Aaron  
Van  Castle,  Joseph  .... 
Wolf,  Peter 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
do 

Walters,  John 

do 

White,  John  A  

...do... 

Walck,  Samuel  S  
Walck,  Daniel  S  

...do... 
...do... 

COMPANY  H. 


William  Thompson  .... 

Capt....Nov.     1,  '62 

Wounded  at  Shepherdstown,  Va.,  Aug.  25,   1864  —  pro 

moted  to  Major,  Feb.  13,  1865. 

William  J.  Allen. 

.do 

Nov.     1,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  2d  to  1st  Lt.,  May  26,  1863  —  to  Capt.,  March  10, 

1865  —  disch.  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 

Baird  Snyder  

1st  Lt.  .  . 

Oct.      1,  '62 

Resigned  Feb.  25,  1863. 

Philip  Luckner  

...do... 

Nov.  18,  '62 

Promoted  from  1st  Sgt.  to  2d  Lt.,  Jan.  22,  1865—  to  1st  Lt., 

March  10,  1865  —  mustered  out    with    company    B,    2d 

regiment  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

George  W.  Garrett  

2d  Lt  .  .  . 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Pr.fr.  1st  Sgt.,  May  26,  1863—  dis.  Jan.  12,  1864. 

Jacob  E.  Fertig  

...do... 

Oct.      7,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  Com.  Sgt.  to  1st  Sgt.,  Jan.  23,  '65—  to  2d  Lt.,  March 

10,   1865  —  mustered  out  with  company  L,  2d  reg.  Pro 

visional  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

John  Smith  

1st  Sgt.. 

Oct.      7,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  Sgt.  to  Q.  M.  Sgt.,  Dec.  23,  1864  —  to  1st  Sgt.,  Mar. 

11,  1865—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1865. 

George  S   Herring  

...do... 

Sept   27,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  Cor.  to  Sgt.,  Dec.  7,  '63—  to  1st  Sgt.,  June  30,  1864 

—killed  at  Gordonsville,  Va.,  Dec.  23,  1864. 

Henry  F.  Dengler  

Q.M.Sr.. 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Promoted  to  Corporal,  Oct.  3,  1863  —  to  Q.  M.  Sgt.,  Dec. 

24,   '64—  wd.  at  White  House,  Va.,  June  29,   1864— 

mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Aaron  Rubright  

Com.  Sr. 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Promoted  from  Corporal,  June  14,  1864  —  to  Sgt.,  Jan.  23, 

1865  —  to  Com.  Sergeant,  March  16,  1865  —  mustered  out 

with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Lewis  M.  Langdon  

...do... 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Promoted  to  Cor.,  Oct.  3,  1863—  to  Sgt.,  Oct.  1,  '64—  to 

Com.   Sergeant,   Jan.   23,    1865  —  died   at   Mt.    Carmel 

Church,  Va.,  March  15,  1865. 

Eberhart  Gessler  

Serg't... 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  Cor.,  Oct.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Thomas  Hoch  

...do... 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Wounded  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  1864  —  dis 

charged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 

Bern'd  Einsenhuth  

...do..  . 

Oct.      7,  '62 

Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Aug.  26,  1863. 

Emanuel  Moyer 

do 

Oct.    27,  '62 

Promoted  to  Sergeant,  June  14,   1864  —  killed  at  White 

House,  Va.,  June  21,  1864. 

Wm.  H.  H.  Brown  

...do... 

Sept.  27,  '63 

Died  at  Pottsville,  Pa.,  1863. 

Wm.  J.  Rupert  

...do... 

Oct.    29,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Dec.  26,  '62  —  to  Sgt.,  Dec.  7,  '63  —  wd.  in  action 

May  6,  '64  and  April  6,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.  H,  2d 

regiment  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Daniel  D.  Kreiger  

...do... 

Oct.    21,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Dec.  7,  1863  —  to  Sgt.,  Mar.  16,  '65  —  mus.  out 

with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

Daniel  M'Mullin  

...do.  .  . 

Oct.    19,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct.  1,  '64—  to  Sgt.,  Mar.  11,  1865—  mustered 

out  with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 

John  C.  West 

do 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Deserted  December  1,  1862. 

John  Hoff  a  

Corp  

Oct.      7,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  16,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Daniel  Hoy  

...do... 

Sept.  27,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Apr.  7,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

433 


COMPANY  H.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

John  Ludwig.  .  .  . 

Corp. 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    21.  '62 

Oct.    30.  '62 
Oct.    29,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    16,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Oct.      7,  '62 

Aug.  29,  '64 
Oct.      7,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  12,  '64 
Sept.    9,  '64 
Oct.    30,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    10,  '62 
Ocfc.    29>  >62 
Oct.    29,  '62 
Nov.  17,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Nov.  11,  '64 
Sept.  12,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  12,  '64 
Sept.    9,  '64 
Nov.  17,  '64 
Sept.     7,  '64 
Oct.      7,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Oct.      7,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.     2,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Oct.      9,  '64 
Sept.     2,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.     2,  '64 
Oct.    29,  '62 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Sept.  12,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    29,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  Jan.  22,  '65—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16.  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Jan,  23.  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct.  1,  '64—  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  21,  '65 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct.  1,  '65  —  wd  at  Gordonsville,  Va.,  Dec.  23, 
'64  —  disch.  by  General  Order,  May  22,  '65. 
Promoted  to  Corporal,  Dec.  24,  1864  —  mustered  out  with 
Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Corporal,  Mar.  11,  1865  —  mustered  out  with 
Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7.  1865. 
Promoted  to  Corporal,  Oct.  1,  1864  —  killed  at  Gordonsville, 
Va.,  Dec.  23,  1864. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct.  1,  '64—  killed  on  picket,  April  6,  1865—  bu. 
in  Nat.  Cem.,  Winchester,  Va.,  lot  35. 
Discharged  December  1,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Newtown,  Va.,  Aug.  11,  1864  —  mustered  out 
with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Co.  H,  9th  reg.  Vet.  Res.  Corps  —  discharged 
on  Surgeon's  certificate,  May  19,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Died  at  Annapolis,  Md.,  Nov.  17,  of  wounds  received  at 
Newtown,  Va.,  Aug.  11,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  1864—  absent, 
in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  3,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Nov.  11,  1864. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  31,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  March  15,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  Windmill  Point,  Va.,  Feb.  2,  1863. 
Deserted  September  30,  1862. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Smithfield,  Va.,  Aug.  29,  1864  —  mustered  out 
with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  in  action,  Aug.  13,  1864  —  tr.  to  V.  R.  C.  —  disch. 
by  General  Order,  June  26,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  15,  1865. 
Deserted  July  3,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wd.  at  Shepherdstown,  W.  Va.,  Aug.  25,  1864—  to  V.  R. 
C.—  disch.  by  General  Order,  June  28,  '65. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  23,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve  Corps.  Jan.  26,  1864. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  December  1,  1862. 

Isaac  H  Yarnall. 

do 

Jacob  Zimmerman  
Daniel  Strauser  

...do... 
...do... 

do      . 

W  B  Zimmerman  

Daniel  A  Rumble  .  . 

do 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 

...do.  .  . 
Black'h 
Black'h 

...do... 

Saddler.  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Sol.  S.  Obenhauser  

Charles  Davies  
Levi  Wentz  

Daniel  Derr  

William  Rumble  
Philip  Artz  

Bankes,  Lewis  

Private.  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Beaver,  Franklin  
Bitter,  Joseph  

Brennan,  Luke  
Buchert,  John  C  
Bankes  George  W  

Beaber,  Samuel  E  
Bolick,  Emanuel  H  .  .  .  . 
Bankes,  Jonas  
Beadle,  Joseph  H  
Blechinger,  Francis  .... 
Baker,  Jacob  
Blue,  Isaac  H  
Butler,  Francis  
Brobst,  Joseph  M  
Bradley  Hugh 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

...do... 
...do.  .. 
...do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do.  .  . 
do 

Benson,  James  
Cascay,  Thomas  
Clouser  John  P 

Conley,  Michael  
Coustemborder,  J  
Clark,  Charles  H  
De  Frehn,  Henry  
Douty,  William  
Dontal,  George  

Derr,  Elias  
Doherty,  John  

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 

...do... 
.  ..do..  . 

Evans,  David  
Eyster,  Charles  M  

Etzel  Godfried  
Fetterman,  Benj  

...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
do 

Fuhrman,  Lewis  
Fisher,  Alem  B  
Feteroff,  Peter  
Gable  Solomon 

Glenn,  David  G  
Good,  Oliver  
Graham,  James  
Goldman,  Oliver  
Gougher,  Benneville..  .  . 
Gross,  William  

...do... 
...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

434 


COMPANY  H.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Haines,  Benneville  
Higgins  Joseph 

Private.  . 
do 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    16,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    19,  '64 
Sept.     2,  '64 
Sept.     2,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    18,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Oct.    14,  '62 

Sept.     2,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  30,  '64 
Oct.    18,  '62 
Sept.     2,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.     2,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  24,  '64 
Sept.     2,  '64 
Oct.      7,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Oct.    29,  '62 
Oct.    10,  '62 
Sept.     9,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  12,  '64 
Sept.  12,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct.    19,  '62 

Sept.  12,  '64 
Sept.     2,  '64 
Aug.  23,  '64 
Oct.    30,  '62 
Nov.  11,  '64 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Sept.     9,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  12,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.     5,  '64 
Oct.    16,  '62 
Oct.    20,  '64 
Oct.   20,  '64 

Oct.    16,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Oct.    19,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Oct.    29,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  14,  1863. 
Killed  at  Shepherdstown,  W.  Va.,  Aug.  25,  1864. 
Pris.  fr.  Aug.  13,  to  Oct.  9,  '64—  died  Nov.  19,  1864. 
Died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  Dec.  27,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Tr.  to  Co.  C,  9th  reg.  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Sept.  30,  '63  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  Aug.  12,  1865. 
Killed  at  Gordonsville,  Va.,  Dec.  23,  1864. 
Killed  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  1864. 
Deserted  July  3,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  17,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  26,  1863. 
Wounded  at  Shepherdstown,  W.  Va.,  August  25,  1864  — 
discharged  by  General  Order,  May  16,  1865. 
Absent  at  muster  out. 
Deserted  November  19,  1862. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Aug.  4,  1863. 
Captured  at  Brandy  Station,  Va.,  Oct.  11,  '63  —  mustered 
out  with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Deserted  November  1,  1862. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  '64  —  absent, 
in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Deserted  July  3,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Reserve  Corps,  Sept.  20,  1864. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  Nov.  11,  '64  —  ret.  Jan.  16,  '65  —  mus.  out  with 
Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65.   £    ] 
Killed  at  Shepherdstown,  W.  Va.,  Aug.  25,  1864. 
Killed  at  Shepherdstown,  W.  Va.,  August  25,  '64  —  bu.  rec., 
died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Nov.  24,  1864. 
Deserted  November  10,  1862. 
Deserted  July  24,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  H,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Haley,  Martin  
Haley,  Thomas  
Herbert,  Thomas  
Hasler,  Joseph 

.  ..do.  .. 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  .do 

John,  Henry  T 

Johnson,  Lloyd  W 

Klock,  Benjamin  F  .  .  .  . 
Kramer,  Zachariah  
Kreisher,  Abraham  .... 
Koble,  Isaac  

Kline,  Felix  
Koons,  Joel  
Koppenhoffer,  T.  J  .  .  .  . 
Lindenmuth,  H  
Lindenmuth,  Jos.. 

Mann,  Andrew  W 

do 

Markle,  William  
Marks,  Jonas  
Maury,  Solomon  
Mears,  Commodore  P.  . 
Michael,  Levi 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Miller,  Samuel  G 

do 

Morris,  Joseph  
Maurer,  Peter  
Matthews,  Chas.  G.  .  .  . 
Merwine,  Chas.  G  

Michael,  William  
Mulligan,  John  
Miner,  Theodore  
M'Donald,  Daniel  
M  'Donald,  Michael.... 
Neyre,  Charles  
Nungesser,  Benj  
Nungesser,  George  
Norris,  John  G  

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

O'Shaughnessey,  P  
Parks,  Malvin,  S  
Philips,  George  
Procter,  Charles  
Potter,  John  

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Raeder,  Nathaniel  
Rider,  Lloyd  W  
Rhodes,  Franklin 

Riffert,  Radiant  
Reed,  Elias  E  

Ryan,  John  J  
Schlaseman,  J.  A 

Schlee,  Joseph 

do 

Schrope,  Frank  B  
Summer,  Henry  
Sell,  Isaac  
Shuman,  Charles  A.  ... 
Shuman,  Thomas  J  .  .  .  . 

Simmers,  Joseph  
Schober  Michael 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Snyder,  John  P  

...do.  .  . 

St.  Clair,  James  
Simmers,  Charles  J  .  .  .  . 
Thomas,  Frederick. 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Troy,  Charles  B  

...do... 

435 


COMPANY  H.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Troy,  Philip  

Trevena,  John  
Watkins,  Edward  

Weiss,  Jonas  
Werner  Jacob 

Private.. 

...do... 
..".do..  . 

.  do 

Oct.    29,  '62 

Jan.    14,  '64 
Aug.  23,  '64 

Oct.    30.  '62 
Oct.    14,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Aug.   15,  '64 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Died  May  9,  of  wounds  received  near  Chancellorsville,  Va.  , 
May  6,  1864. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Wounded  at  Gordonsville,  Va.,  Dec.  23,  1864—  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Deserted  December  1,  1862. 
Deserted  December  1,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

do 

Weaver,  Joseph  H  
White,  Thomas  

...do... 
...do.  .  . 

Williams,  Wm.  R  
Yarnall,  Samuel  
Yeick,  Daniel  
Yorkey,  Hiram  

...do... 
...do... 
...do..  . 
...do.  .  . 

COMPANY  I. 

John  B.  M'Allister  
Daniel  Beenken  
Martin  R.  Reinhold.  .  .  . 

Urias  R.  Reinhold  
And.  D.  Vandling  
Isaac  N   Grubb 

Capt  
...do.  .  . 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .. 
IstLt... 
do   .  . 

Oct.      7,  '62 
Oct.      1,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '62 

Oct.    27,  '62 
Oct.      7,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct       3,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept,  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept,  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Oct.    28,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Promoted  to  Lieut.  Colonel,  Nov.  6,  1862. 
Pr.  fr.  1st  Lt.,  Nov.  6,  '62—  resigned  March  28,  1863. 
Promoted  fr.  2d  Lieut,  company  E,  July  21,  1864  —  killed 
near  Opequan,  Va.,  Sept.  7,  1864. 
Pr.  to  1st  Lt.  Co.  E,  Feb.  13,  '65  —  wd.  at  Five  Forks,  Va., 
April  1,  1865—  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  20,  1865. 
Pr.  fr.  2d  Lt.,  Nov.  6,  '62—  com.  Capt.,  Mar.  26,  '63—  not 
mustered  —  resigned  June  5,  1863. 
Promoted  from  Sergeant  Major,  July  22,  '64  —  com.  Capt., 
Sept.  8,  1864  —  not  mustered  —  discharged  Jan.  13,  1865, 
for  wounds  received  in  action. 
Pr.  fr.  1st  Sgt.,  Mar.  10,  '65  —  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  20,  '65. 
Promoted  from  1st  Sgt.,  Nov.  6,  '62  —  com.  1st  Lt.,  March 
26,  '63  —  not  mustered  —  resigned  June  8,  '63. 
Pr.  fr.  1st  Sgt.,  Oct.  23.  1864  —  com.  1st  Lt.,  Sept.  8,  '64 
—  not  mustered  —  disch.  by  G.  O.,  July  17,  '65. 
Pr.  from  Cor.  to  Sgt.,  Mar.  1,  '63  —  to  1st  Sgt.,  Mar.  11, 
1865—  mustered  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  from  Sergeant,  Jan.  1,  1865  —  mustered  out  with 
company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  fr.  Sgt.,  Nov.  1,  '63  —  com.  2d  Lt.,  Sept.  26,  '64  —  not 
mus.  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  1864—  to  Sergt.,  Mar.  11,  1865—  mus. 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Sergeant,  July  1,  1864  —  mustered  out  with 
company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  23.    1863—  to  Sergt.,   July    1,    1864— 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  1863—  to   Sergt.   Mar.   11,    1865— 
mustered  out  with  company,    June  16,  1865  —  wounded 
at  White  House,  June  21,  1864. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  1863  —  to   Sergt.    Mar.    11,   1865  — 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Mar.,  1863. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Jan.  28,  1863—  to   Sergt.,   Dec.   10,   1863— 
killed  at  Old  Church  Tavern,  Va.,  May  30,  '64. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,    June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,   June  16,  '65, 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,    June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct.  1,  '64—  mus.  out  with  Co.,   June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Oct.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,   June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  11,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,   June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  11,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,   June  16,  '65, 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  11,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,   June  16,  '65, 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Mar.  10,  1863. 
Killed  at  White  House.  Va..  June  21.   1864—  buried   in 
Nat.  Cem.,  Yorktown,  sec.  A,  grave,    218. 
Captured  at  Kearnysville,  Va.,  August  24,  1864. 
Promoted  to  Blacksmith,  Aug.  1,  1863  —  mustered  out  with 
company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

John  B.  Winchester.  .  .  . 

...do..  . 

Lewis  W.  Orwan  
Charles  H.  Gresh 

2d  Lt  .  .  . 
do 

George  W.  Orwan  

1st  Sgt.  . 
Q.M.Sr.. 
Com.  Sr. 
Serg't..  . 
..  .do..  . 
...do... 

John  Sharon  
William  H.  Reed     . 

John  M.  Fry  

Theo.  F.  Tompkins  
Silas  W.  Snyder  

William  C.  Long  

David  R.  Gussler  
Kphraim  C.  Long  

...do... 

.  ..do..  . 
.  ..do... 

Wm.  P.  Fairlamb  

David  H.  Lackey  
George  O   Neill 

...do..  . 

.  Corp.  . 
do 

Charles  Kettle  

.  ..do..  . 

Samuel  Risser  

...do... 

Francis  Hauser 

.  ..do... 
do 

George  W   Black 

William  L.  Cope  

...do... 

Edward  Mahoney  

...do... 

John  C.  Kreps  
James  C.  Campbell.  .  .  . 

Americ's  F.  Wickey.  .  .  . 
John  J.  Snyder  

Lawrence  Sharon  
William  C.  Stahl  

...do... 
...do... 

Bugler.  . 
Black'h 

...do... 
Saddler.  . 

436 


COMPANY  I.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Arndt,  John  J  
Allen,  Thomas  
Arndt,  Abraham  
Brown,  Isaac  
Berry.  John  
Burge,  Joseph  
Brandt,  Daniel 

Private.  . 
...do.  .. 
...do.  .. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do..  . 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Des.  from  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.  —  date  unknown. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  23,  1865. 
Absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Discharged  Dec.  30,  for  wds.  received  at  Opequan,  Va., 
Sept.  19,  1864. 
Disch.  for  wds.  rec.  at  Occoquan.  Va.,  Dec.  28,  '62. 
Disch.  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  —  date  unknown. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  16,  1863. 
Transferred  to  V.  R.  C.,  Feb.  21,  1864  —  discharged  by 
General  Order,  June  26,  1865. 
Tr.  to  Co.  B,  12th  reg.  V.  R.  C..  Feb.  1,  1864—  discharged 
by  General  Order,  June  28,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Reg.  Q.  M.  Sgt.,  Jan.  1,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  from  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  July  6,  '65. 
Deserted  July  9,  1863. 
Deserted  July  9,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  July  20,  '63. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  May  23,  '65. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  May  3,  '65. 
Transferred  to  V   R.  C.,  Nov.  5,  1864. 

Feb.    11,  '64 
Aug.     8,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  ''62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Oct.      6,  '64 
Feb.    11,  '64 
July    26,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '64 
Aug.     8,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.      7,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept   26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.    12,  '64 
Mar.     8,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Aug.  27,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.     6,  '64 
Sept.    6,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.    27,  '64 

Jan.'      6,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Aug.  13,  '64 
Aug.     2,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
April     1,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Aug.     8,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
July    30,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

April  11,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

...do... 
...do..  . 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 
...do... 

Best,  William  T  
Bitting,  Henry  
Bradley,  Real  

Brewer  George  W 

Boyd,  Thomas  H  
Bradley,  Simeon  
Burke,  John  

Bryan,  Samuel  

Clever,  Jesse  Y  
Creamer,  Emanuel  
Combs,  Hosea  
Coulter  Alexander 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do..  . 
do 

Cohen,  Moses  

...do.  .. 

Cluck,  Simon  
Colby,  Horace  
Clark  Charles. 

...do... 
.  ..do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 

Transferred  to  U.  S.  A.,  Nov.  4,  1862. 
Deserted  October  17,  1862. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  18,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.,  1863. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  A.,  Nov.  2,  1862. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Absent.at  muster  out. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  Dec.  22,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Aug.  23,  '63. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  October  18,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Mar.  25,  1863. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  Aug.  9,  1865. 
Com.  2d  Lt.,  March  26,  1863  —  not  mustered  —  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Prisoner  from  March  2,   to   April  2,  1865  —  discharged  by 
General  Order,  Aug.  4,  1865.. 
Discharged  Dec.  13,  for  wounds  received  at  Hanover  C.  H., 
Va.,  May  28,  1864. 
Killed  at  White  House,  Va.,  June  21,  1864—  buried  in  Nat. 
Cem.,  Yorktown,  section  A,  grave,  62. 
Died  of  wds.  rec.  at  Occoquan,  Va.,  Dec.  28,  1862. 
Deserted  November  5,  1862. 
Deserted  October  15,  1862. 

Drexler,  George  S  
Drexler,  Jacob  L  

De  Coursey,  Wm  
Depken,  Henry.  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
do 

Eshleman,  Samuel  
Farrell,  James  
Fleming,  James  H  
Foley  ,  James  
Fry,  John 

Fry,  William  
Fry,  David  
Fitz,  William  H  
Foley,  James. 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
do 

Fox,  Henry  
Fechter,  Martin  

...do... 
...do.  .. 

Freas,  Henry  C  
Fromboy,  Antwine  
Garman,  Peter  
Geiger,  Michael  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

Grage,  Jacob  H  
Graham,  Jabez  
Gribble,  Reuben. 

.  y.do.  .  . 
...do.  .  . 
do 

Grossman,  Reuben  
Cause,  Christopher  .... 
Gardner,  Thomas  
Haas,  Henry  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
do 

Hake,  Joseph  
Harbold,  William  
Heffendreck,  Jacob  .... 
Henderson,  Nathan.  .  .  . 
Harbold,  Wm.,  Jr  

Harbold,  Peter  
Healy,  Joseph. 

Hippie,  Jeremiah  
Haulman,  William  
Hamilton,  Andrew  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

437 


COMPANY  I.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Hynes,  William  
Kallenbach,  Otto  
Karpf  ,  Charles  
Kromling,  Reuben  
King,  Daniel  
Kreider,  Joseph  
Kepner,  George  W  
Kleckner,  Daniel  
Kearns,  Lawrence  
Kimmel,  John  
Kocher,  William  

Private.. 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...  do  ... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

April    5,  '64 
Sept.  12,  '64 
Sept.  20,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.  24,  '64 
Aug.  24,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
July    21,  '64 
Oct.    19,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Aug.  31,  '64 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Aug.  31,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
April    6,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.    19,  '64 
Feb.    16,  '64 
April    6,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.    19,  '64 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.    9,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Feb.   23,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Aug.   12,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Oct.    18,  '64 
Oct.    19,  '64 
Oct.    19,  '64 
Oct.    28,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 

Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Sept.  24,  '64 
Sept.  26,  '62 
Mar.     2,  '64 
Feb.    17,  '64 
Feb.    17,  '64 

Deserted  —  date  unknown. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Capt'd  Aug.  24,  '64—  died  at  Danville,  Va.,  Nov.  23.  '64. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Apr.  29,  1864. 
Des.  from  Co.  I,  2d  regiment  Pro.  Cav.,  July  6,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  near  Falmouth,  Va.,  April  9,  1863. 
Deserted  October  13,  1862. 
Deserted  July  6,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865, 
Discharged  Dec.  3,  for  wounds  received  at  Falling  Waters, 
Md.,  July  14,  1863. 
Discharged  Nov.  7,  for  wounds  received  at  Cold  Harbor, 
Va.,  May  31,  1864. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Oct.  25,  1863. 
Deserted  —  Date  unknown. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Nov.  9,  1864. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Feb.  1,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  —  date  unknown. 
Deserted  October  27,  1862. 
Deserted  November  9,  1862. 
Wounded  in  action,  Dec.  27,  1864  —  absent,  in  hospital,  at 
muster  out. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Apr.  23,  1863. 
Deserted  December  10,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  Windmill  Point,  Va.,  Jan.  24,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Apr.  23,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  30,  1865. 
Absent,  in  arrest,  at  muster  out. 
Discharged  Dec.  21,  for  wounds  received  at  Shepherds- 
town,  W.  Va.,  Aug.  25,  1864. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  May  10,  1864. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Absent  at  muster  out. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  Frederick,  Md.,  Aug.  12—  bu.  rec.,  Aug.  16,  1863 
—  of  wounds  received  near  Funkstown,  July  10,  1863  — 
bu.  in  National  Cemetery,  Antietam,  section  26,  lot  E, 
grave,  507. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.  —  date  unknown. 
Deserted  November  6,  1862. 
Absent,  in  hospital,  at  muster  out. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  June  30,  1863. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  —  date  unknown. 

Kinney,  Alexander  
Lamea,  John  
Lloyd,  Michael  L  
Long  Jonas 

do 

...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Lesh,  William  W  
Larkin,  Peter  

Moore,  Edward  
Maxwell,  George  W.  .  .  . 
Mahoney,  Timothy.  .  .  . 
Michaels  Levi  H 

Mangle,  Thomas  
Morris,  James  
Morris,  John  C  
Myers,  Jonathan  
Michaels,  Josiah  

M'Ginnis,  Samuel  
O'Neil,  John  
Paden,  Andrew  J  
Reese,  Benjamin  S  
Rimert,  Martin  
Roberts,  John  P  
Roads,  Amos  
Reed,  Elias  

Ritter,  John  
Sweger,  Levi  
Scholl,  Charles  J  
Shafer,  Edward  
Smith,  John  A  
Sterner,  Charles  G  
Swartz,  John  M  
Smith,  Joseph  P  
Stein,  John  
Swartz,  Daniel  

Smith,  Simon  D.  R.  .  .  . 
Shark,  William 

.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .. 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

...do.  .  . 
do 

Sherman,  Henry  
Sherman,  Joseph  
Stoufer,  George  W  
Spriggle,  Benjamin  .... 

Stoufer,  John  
Stratsbach,  Fred'k  
Teach,  Elias  W  
Thompson,  Jas.  O  
Thompson,  John  

...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do.  .. 
.  ..do..  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 
...do... 

Vanaman,  George  
Vanaman,  Thomas  

438 


COMPANY  I.  (Continued) 


NAME 

DATE  OF 
RANK       MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Vanhorn,  Julius  A  
Wox,  Lucius  C  
Wox,  Sidney  S  
Wilber,  Henry  
Williamson,  John  

Private..  Sept.  26,  '62 
.  ..do.  .  .Jan.      2,  '64 
.  ..do.  .  .Aug.  23,  '64 
.  .  .do.  .  .  Sept,  26,  '62 
.  .  .do.  .  .  Sept.  26,  '62 

Deserted  November  8,  1862. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  I,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug. 
Deserted  October  13,  1862. 
Deserted  October  13,  1862. 

7,  '65. 
7,  '65. 

COMPANY  K. 


Richard  Fitzgerald  
John  Anglun  
Philip  Brong  

Captain  . 
1st  Lt... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

2d  Lt 

Nov.     7,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Nov.     7,  '62 

Oct.    28,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Nov.  25,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21.  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  30,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  30,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  30,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  30,  '62 
Sept.  21.  '62 

Oct.    21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  30,  '62 
Sept.  30,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Oct.      2,  '62 
Nov.  19,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.    3,  '64 
Aug.  30,  '64 
Sept.  21.  '62 

Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Quartermaster,  November  21,  1862. 
Promoted  from  2d  Lieutenant,  Nov.  25,  1862  —  discharged 
on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Nov.  5,  1863. 
Pr.  from  Sergeant,  Mar.  22,  '64—  wd.  at  Five  Forks,  Va., 
April  1,  1865  —  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  20,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Dec.  1,  '62  —  to  Sergeant,  Dec.  10,  '62  —  to  1st 
Sergeant,  Nov.  6,  1863—  to  2d  Lieutenant,  Dec.  1,  1864 
—discharged  by  G.  O.  June  20,  1865. 
Resigned  December  8,  1863. 
Promoted    from    Commissary    Sergeant,    Dec.    1,    '64  — 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Corporal,  Dec.  10,  '62—  to  Sgt.,  June  11,  '63—  to  1st 
Sergeant,  Aug.  1,  1863—  to  Adjt,  Nov.  6,  '63. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  1863—  to  Q.  M.  Sergt.,  Sept.  1,  1864— 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wd.  at  White  House,  Va.,  June  21,  '63,  and  at  Trevilian 
Station,  June  12,  '64  —  disch.  —  date  unknown. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Jan.  1,  1863—  to  Com.  Sergt.,  Nov.  1,  1863— 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Jan.  5,  1863  —  to  Sergeant,  Sept.  1,  1863  — 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  fr.  Cor.,  Dec.  1,  '62  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  1863—  to  Sergt.,  Nov.  1,  1864—  mus. 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  1863  —  to  Sergt.,  Dec.  1,  1864  —  mus. 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  May  1,  1864—  to  Sergt.,  April  1,  1865—  mus. 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Sergt.,  May  1,  '64  —  wd.  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va., 
June  12,  1864—  tr.  to  Co.  H,  10th  reg.  V.  R.  C.,  Jan.  10, 
'65—  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  27,  1865. 
Killed  in  action  —  date  unknown. 
Deserted  December  7,  1862. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16/65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  1,  '64—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Sept.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Dec.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Apr.  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Promoted  to  Corporal,  Nov.  1.  1862  —  Wd.  at  Dinwiddie. 
C.  H.,  Va.,  March  31,  '65  —  absent  at  mus.  out. 
Pr.  to  Corporal,  Dec.  1,  1862  —  died  at  Washington,  D.  C., 
May  16,  1863  —  bu.  in  Mil.  Asy.  Cemetery. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Saddler,  Sept.  24,  1864  —  mustered  out  with 
company,  June  16,  1865. 
Killed  at  Berry  ville,  Va.,  September  24,  1864. 
Deserted  November  19,  1862. 
Captured  at  Berryville,  Va.,  Sept.  24,  1864—  mustered  out 
with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Substitute  —  mus.  out  with  company,  June  16,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Meadow   Bridge,  Va.,   May   12,   1864  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  May  11,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Sept.  11,  1863. 

Alanson  D.  Phillips.  .  .  . 
Charles  Johnson  

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Milton  J.  Snyder  

1st  Sgt.  . 
do 

James  A  Clark 

Burton  Scott  
Sol.  M.  Edwards  
Thomas  W.  Thomas  .  .  . 
James  Burgin  

James  Brennan  
William  M'Cann 

Q.M.Sr.. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
Com.  Sr. 
Serg't.  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

John  May  
George  W.  Moore  
Patrick  Mulroney  

Samuel  Snyder 

.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

do 

Peter  F.  Barber  
Martin  Hudson  
James  Manderville  
Charles  Geise 

...do... 
Corp.  .  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

John  W.  Mason  
David  Owens  
John  G.  Brandon  
Henry  Biglan  
Dan'l  Bartholomew  .... 

Jasper  Bell  

Henry  Hopkins  
Elnathan  Cole. 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .. 

Bugler  .  . 
do 

Josiah  Bloss  
Paul  Cool  
John  Hart  

George  P.  Goodrich.  .  .  . 
Anderson,  John- 

Black'h. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
Saddler.'. 

.  ..do.  .  . 
Private.  . 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 

Burrows,  John  H  

Beatty,  Robert  
Boley,  Edward  P  
Beemer,  Oscar  F  

Barrett,  Patrick  

439 


COMPANY  K.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Burns,  John  
Burk,  Edward  

Brownell,  Joseph  
Basee  Christopher  ' 

Private.. 
...do... 

...do.  .. 
do 

Mar.  29,  '64 
Mar.  28,  '64 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  31,  '64 
April     1,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.    29,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Mar.  21,  '64 

Sept.  30,  '62 
Oct.    24,  '62 
Oct.    30,  '62 
Sept.  21.  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Nov.  19,  '62 
Aug.  25,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.    20,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
July    19,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  30,  '62 
Aug.   14,  '64 
Oct.    28,  '62 
Sept.  23,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.  28,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Aug.  22,  '64 
Aug.  30,  '64 
Aug.  30,  '64 
Mar.  28,  '64 
Mar.  28,  '64 

Oct.    20,  '62 
July    19,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.    28,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  30,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.  31,  '64 
Mar.  31,  '64 
Feb.   28,  '64 
Mar.  31,  '64 
Sept.  30,  '62 
Mar.  31,  '64 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Wd.  at  Shepherdstown,  W.  Va.,  Aug.    25,  '64  —  des.  from 
Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.  —  date  unknown. 
Captured—  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Nov.  12,  1864. 
Deserted  September  30,  1862. 
Deserted  November  14,  1862. 
Captured    Aug.    12,    1864  —  mustered  out  with  company, 
June  16,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company  June  16,  1865. 
Des.  fr.  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.  —  date  unknown. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Promoted  to  Hospital  Steward,  March  1,  1864. 
Captured  —  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Dec.  31,  1864. 

Brown,  Alamander  
Collard,  Amizi  L  

Carpenter,  Shep'd  

...do... 
...do... 

...do.  .  . 
do 

Cunningham,  Chas.  .  .  . 
Clark,  Peter  F  
Cocoran,  Domin'k  

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 

Cordner  Henry 

Deserted  November  25,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out-  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company  K,  2d  regiment  Provisional 
Cavalry,  Aug.  7,  1865  —  Vet. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  30,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Feb.  6,  1864. 
Died  at  Stafford  C.  H.,  Va.,  Jan.  8,  1863. 
Deserted  October  10,  1862. 
Deserted  November  15,  1862. 
Deserted  November  19,  1862. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Sept.  20.  1864, 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  June  8,  1863. 
Died  at  Harper's  Ferry,  Va.,  March  18,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Disch.  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  —  date  unknown. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Capt'd  Aug.  13,  '64  —  mus  out  with  Co  .,  June  16,  '65. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  July  14,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Captured  —  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Nov.  22,  1864. 

Drum,  James  M  
Daniels,  Asahel  
Daley,  William  
Davis,  David  
Dissinger,  Lemmon.  .  .  . 
Donely,  Patrick  

Davis,  Thomas  
Detrick  Elias 

Du  Bois,  Albert  
Donehue,  John  
Decker,  Isaac  L  
Doolittle  Alfred. 

...do... 
.  .  do 

Devine,  Robert  
Eaton,  Frederick  

...do... 
...do... 

Edwards,  William  
Eaton,  Pressley  
Evens,  Shedrick  
•Fenner,  David  
Ford,  William  
Grady,  Michael  
Ganghagan,  Martin.  .  .  . 
Green   Braman 

dddddddc 

Grattan,  Michael  
Gress,  John  
Golden,  John.  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  do 

Deserted  November  15,  1862. 
Deserted  April  20,  1863. 
Deserted  April  20,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Absent  at  muster  out. 
Mus,  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.   C.,  April  19,   1864  —  buried  in 
Military  Asylum  Cemetery. 
Deserted  November  14,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  April  20,  1863. 
Deserted  December  6,  1862. 
Disch.  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  —  date  unknown. 
Wd.  and  capt'd  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,  '64. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Aug.  21,  1863. 
Des.  fr.  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.  —  date  unknown. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Des.  fr.  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.  —  date  unknown. 
Des.  from  Co.  K.  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  July  1,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Regimental  Saddler,  April  6,  1863. 
Died  June  18,  1864  —  buried  in  Harmony  Burial  Grounds, 
D.  C. 

Gallagher,  Patrick 

Golden,  Thomas  
Harrison,  John  
Hudson,  Miron  
Hudson,  John  W 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
do 

Hoigh  Lewis  J 

Houch,  Matthias  
Henry,  John  
Havens,  William  
Hudson,  Lewis  

Hayes,  William  
Jenkins,  Robert  
Jones,  Edward  
Jenkins,  Morgan  
Keck  William. 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do..  . 
do 

Knapp,  Henry  
Kelly,  Michael  
Little,  Jacob  B  
Loftus,  Thomas  
Larn,  John. 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Lowire,  Emnet  
Lanning,  John  
Lally,  Thomas  
Lourie,  George  H  
Lawrence,  Thomas,. 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  do 

Lewroy,  Frank  

...do... 

440 


COMPANY  K.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Lee,  George  H  

Private.. 

Oct.    28,  '62 

Deserted  November  6,  1862. 
Deserted  November  6,  1862. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  special  order,  June  6,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro  .Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Captured  —  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Jan.  13,  1865. 
Deserted  December  6,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Deserted  Oct.  23,  1862—  returned  Oct.  25,  1864  —  mus.  out 
with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.;  Aug.  27,  1865. 
Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  Aug.  1,  1863—  buried  in  Mili 
tary  Asylum  Cemetery. 
Died  at  Frederick,  Md.,  July  26,  1863. 
Deserted  November  10,  1862. 
Deserted  November  15,  1862. 
Deserted  Nov.  15,  '62  —  returned  July  27,  '63  —  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  14,  1865. 
Deserted  from  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  July  1,  '65. 
Deserted  Oct.  15,  '62  —  returned  May  28,  '63  —  transferred 
to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  Sept.  1,  1863. 
Deserted  November  15,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Sept.  20,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  November  15,  1862. 
Deserted  November  15,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  November  1,  1862. 
Deserted  March  4,  1864. 
Deserted  June  4,  1864. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Sept.  1,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Des.  from  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.  —  date  unknown. 
Absent  at  muster  out. 
Deserted  November  19,  1862. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  17,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  10,  1864. 

Lynch,  James  
Lloyd,  David  
Myers,  Anthony  

do 

...do.  .  . 

Oct.    28,  '62 

.  ..do.  .. 
do 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Aug.  24,  '64 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Aug.   17,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.    31,  '62 
April    7,  '64 
Mar.  31,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Oct.    21,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '64 
Aug.  30,  '64 
Aug.  24,  '64 
Mar.  25,  '64 
Mar.  26,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Aug.  27,  '64 
Sept.  30,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 

Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.    3,  '62 
Oct.      2,  '62 
Sept.  30,  '62 

Sept.     1,  '6"4 
Aug.  20,  '64 
Mar.  31,  '64 
April  26.  '64 
Oct.      2,  '62 

Oct.    28,  '62 
Oct.    20,  '62 
Aug.  31,  '64 
Aug.   19,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Mar.  31,  '64 
Mar.  31,  '64 
Oct.    24,  '62 
Nov.     5,  '62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Oct.    25,  '62 
May     9,  '64 
Sept.  17,  '64 
Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.    7,  '64 
Sept.     1,  '64 
Aug.  27,  '64 
Oct.    28,  '62 
Mar.  10,  '64 
Nov.  19,  '62 
Mar.  17,  '64 
!Sept.  21,  '62 
Sept.     1,  '64 
Sept.  21,  "62 
Sept.  21,  '62 

Morris,  Thomas  
Morgan,  Thomas  
Murvin,  James  F  
Mathews,  Peter  
Mayer,  Herman  
Mead,  George  

.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

.  ..do.  .  . 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do.  .  . 
do 

Miller   Richard 

do 

Mathewson,  Charles.  .  . 
M'Cuthin,  Franklin..  .  . 
M'Cutchen,  Robert.  .  .  . 
M'Mullen,  Daniel  
M'Tigue,  James  
M'Farlin,  Charles  
Newcomb,  Casper  
Nelson,  Martin. 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .. 

O'Donnell,  Anthony  .  .  . 
Price,  Oliver  E  

Powell,  Howell  

...do... 

...do.  .. 
...do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 

...do.  .  . 
do 

Powell,  Isaac.         

Powell,  William  
Phillips,  Stephen  
Ryan,  Patrick  

Ray,  Martin  G. 

Richland   Otto 

Richardson,  Samuel..  .  . 
Robinson,  Benj.  C  
Ramson,  Orville  C. 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Reese  John 

do 

Seiner,  Daniel  
Shaner,  David  
Stire,  James  W  
Stout,  Joseph  
Scanlin,  John  
Swartz,  Gilmore  
Sherman,  Isaac  
Seny,  James 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
do 

Thomas,  Philip  
Toy,  Daniel  
Turner,  Allen  B  
Thompson,  William.  .  .  . 
Tigue   Dennis 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Vanghn,  Edward  
Wardebaugh,  Wm.. 

Warner,  Joseph  

.  ..do.  .. 

Williams,  John  J  
Williams,  John  T  
Wells,  Henry  
Wright,  Edward  
Wilson,  Abraham  
Yarns,  John  
Zell   James 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Zacharias,  Mich'l  H..  .  . 

COMPANY  L. 

David  B.  Hartranft.  .  .  .  Capt  
John  L.  Rees  1  .  .  .do.  .  . 

Oct.    14,  '62 
Sept.  27,  '62 

Promoted  to  Major,  November  20,  1862. 
Pr.  from  1st  Lt.,  Nov.  20,  '62—  resigned  May  29,  '63. 

441 


COMPANY  L.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Theodore  W.  Bean  

Cant.... 

Oct.    17,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  2d  to  1st  Lt.,  Nov.  21,  '62—  to  Capt.,  Nov.  1,  '63— 

Bv.  Major   and    Lt.    Col.,    March    13,    '65—  disch.    by 

General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 

William  H.  Wright  

1st  Lt..  . 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  1st  Sgt.  to  2d  Lt.,  Nov.  21,  '62—  to  1st  Lt.,  Aug.  8. 

'64—  disch.  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 

Thomas  J   Owen 

2d  Lt  .  .  . 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  Sgt.,  Nov.  1,  '63  —  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  20,  '65. 

Ellis  P  Newlin 

1st  Sgt.  . 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  19,.  1865. 

John  M.  Bean  

Q.M.Sr.. 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Thos.  H.  Humphrey.  .  . 

Com.  Sr 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

John  T.  Johnson  

Serg't... 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Pr.  to  Sgt.,  Oct.  30,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Joseph  C   Jones 

do 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Henry  C.  Yorkes  

...do... 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Pr.  to  Sgt.,  Dec.  10,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

William  Wright  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Promoted  to  Sergeant  —  date  unknown  —  mustered  out  with 

company,  June  16,  1865. 

George  Ferree  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Pr.  fr.  Cor.,  May  15,  '65—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Lewis  B.  Bailey  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  15,  1865. 

William  Hunsicker  

...do... 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Oct.  1,  1864. 

Henry  G.  Hunter  

...do... 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Oct.  1,  1864. 

Edwin  A.  Bean  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Promoted  to  Quartermaster,  July  22,  1864. 

Enos  P.  Jeffries  

...do... 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Commissioned  2d  Lt.  company  E,  July  16,  1864  —  not  mus. 

—  disch.  by  General  Order,  June  21,  1865. 

Charles  J.  Keeler  

Corp.  .  .  . 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Prisoner  from  Sept.  22,  1863,  to  Feb.  28,  1865  —  mustered 

out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Gideon  Saylor  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Promoted    to    Corporal  —  date    unknown  —  mustered    out 

with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Robert  Gill  

...do... 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Promoted  to  Corporal  —  date  unknown  —  mustered  out  with 

company,  June  16,  1865. 

Josiah  Tyson..  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  17,  '62jPr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '63—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Mahlon  Kline  

...do... 

Sept.  17,  '62  Pr.  to  Cor.,  Dec.  10,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Ezekiel  Fogel  

...do... 

Sept.  25,  '62  Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  1,  '65—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

James  M.  Kennedy.  .  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  25,  '62  Promoted  to  Corporal  —  date  unknown  —  mustered  out  with 

company,  June  16,  1865. 

Daniel  Earner  

...do... 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Pr.  to  Cor.,  May  15,  '65  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 

Preston  Shoemaker  .... 

...do... 

Sept.  25,  '621  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Oct.  28,  1863. 

John  G  Tyson 

do       ISept   25,  '62i  Captured  Sept  6   1864—  died  at  Salisbury  N   C  ,  Feb.  22, 

1865—  burial  record,  Jan.  31,  1865. 

John  A.  Ross  

Bugler.  .  Sept.  25,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Franklin  A.  Savage  .... 

.  .  .do.  .  .  Oct.      6,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Andrew  Irwin 

Black'h. 

Sept.  25,  '62:  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Sam'l  Linsenbigler  

Saddler.. 

Sept.  17,  '62|  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Aiken,  Joseph  

Private.  . 

Sept.  19,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865, 

Acker,  Henry  S  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Antis,  Jacob  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  16,  '62!  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Auchy,  Joseph  

...do... 

Sept.  16,  '62 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Armbruester,  Clem  .... 

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  16,  '62 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Bungey,  Daniel  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Booth,  Franklin  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Aug.  28,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Bender,  Reuben  

...do... 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Discharged  for  wounds,  with  loss  of  arm,  received  at  Cold 

Harbor,  Va.,  May  31,  1864. 

Barringer,  Harrison.  .  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    25,  '64 

Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Bordman,  Daniel  

...do... 

Sept.  16,  '62 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Boyer,  Peter  S  

...do... 

Sept.  16,  '62 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Boyer,  Jonas  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  16,  '62 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Easier  Henry 

do 

Sept.  16,  '62 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Batzel,  Jacob  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  16,  '62 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Brosius,  George  

...do... 

Sept.    8,  '64 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Carl,  Jacob  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.    9,  '64 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Cunningham  W   M 

do 

Aug.     8,  '64 

Mustered  nut  with  rnmnanv.  Tune  16.  1865. 

Clare,  John  

...do... 

Oct.    25,  '64JDes.  from  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  July  6,  1865. 

Cooper,  John  

...do.  .. 

Sept.  25,  '62  (Deserted  August  8,  1864. 

Cooper,  William  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Oct.    13,  '62!Deserted  November  26,  1862. 

Davis,  William  M  

...do... 

Sept.  25,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Dyson,  Eli  

...do... 

Sept.  25,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Dotts,  Henry  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  17,  '62  j  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Davis,  Ellis  B  

.  ..do.  .  . 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.,  Nov.  1,  1863  —  buried  in  Mili 

tary  Asylum  Cemetery. 

Dearolf,  William  

...do... 

Sept.  25,  '62 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Erb,  Henry  

...do... 

Sept.  17,  '62 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

442 


COMPANY  L.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO                                                               REMARKS 
SERVICE 

Erb  William 

Private.. 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Sept.  25,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Captured  —  died  at  Salisbury,  N.  C.,  Feb.  22,  1865  —  burial 
record,  Jan.  14,  1865. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.     1,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Oct.    10,  '64  Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62|Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Discharged  for  wounds  received  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  May 
31,  1864. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Nov.,  1863. 
Oct.    14,  '64  Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Sept.  16,  '62!  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Wounded  at  Cold  Harbor,  Va.,  May  31,  1864—  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Discharged  —  date  unknown. 
Oct.    14,  '64  Absent  at  muster  out. 
Oct.    25,  '64:  Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  19,  '64  Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  23,  1865. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Discharged  —  date  unknown. 
Oct.      6,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Oct.    13,  '62|Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Wd.  at  Trevilian  Station,  Va.,  June  12,   1864  —  prisoner 
from  June  12,  to  Sept.  24,  '64  —  mustered  out  with  com 
pany,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.    9,  '64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Deserted  November  20,  1862. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Oct.  20,  1863. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Wd.  at  Wilderness,  Va.,  May,  '64—  tr.  to  V.  R.  C.—  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  July  26,  1865. 
April  15,  '64  Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Oct.      7,  '64  Discharged  by  General  Order,  Aug.  10,  1865. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  19,  '64  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  17,  '62  Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  23,  1865. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Discharged  —  date  unknown. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Died  at  Washington,  D.  C.  —  date  unknown. 
Sept.  16,  '62jNot  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Sept.  25,  '62  Deserted  May  3,  1864. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Ecoff,  Amos  
Eck,  Beneville  

Fox,  Jacob  
Ferree,  Frederick  
Ford,  Patrick  
Faust,  John  

Gayley,  William  

Garvis,  Samuel  
Grattan,  James  C  
Gastinger,  Leopold  .... 
Hood,  Aaron  

Hauck,  Joshua  
Hummelbaugh,  P.  J  
Hosier,  Benjamin  
Herbst,  Mahlon  
Herbst,  Henry  
Heard  John  R 

...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do.  .  . 
...  do  ... 
.  ..do.  .  . 

...  do  ... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Invin,  William  
Irwin,  Joseph  
Johnson,  Erastus  F.  .  .  . 
Jenkins  John 

...do... 
...  do  ... 
.  ..do.  .. 
do 

Johnson,  Harrison  
Johnson,  Jacob  
Kook,  Jacob  
Kolb,  Israel  
Keegan,  Edward  

Kennedy,  Jefferson  .... 
Kepler,  Wm.  H  
Kline,  Jacob  
Keller,  Charles  
Kohl,  John  

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do.  .. 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Krause,  Milton  
Keyser,  Augustus  
Koons,  Abraham  P.  .  .  . 
Kepp,  Edward  
Koons,  John  P  
Koons,  Frederick  P.  ... 
Kline,  Philip  
Lutz,  John  C  
Lowery,  James  L  

Lynch,  John  E  
Loftus,  Henry. 

...do... 
...do.  .. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
.  .  .do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Leidig,  Samuel  S  
Leidig,  Albert  
Longaker,  H.  S  
Lord,  John  
Mack,  Enos  F. 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
....do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 

Miller,  William  
Miller,  Samuel  
Martin,  David  R  
Markley,  Benj.  H  
Moore,  James  F  
March,  Henry. 

Miller,  Lewis  D  
Moyer,  Adam  
Miller,  John  G  
M'Donald,  Samuel  
M'Ginnis,  Joseph  
Neiman,  John  
Neiffer,  John  

443 


COMPANY  L.  (Continued) 


NAME 


DATE  OF 

MUSTER  INTO 

SERVICE 


O'Neal,  John 

Ourn,  Edwin  L 

Plank,  Joseph 

Powell,  Wilson  P... 

Pine,  Wilson  P 

Park,  Wm.  C 


Puhl,  Daniel 

Pool,  John 

Quigg,  Wm.  D 

Royer,  Jeremiah. .  .  . 
Ramsey,  Samuel.. .  . 

Roberts,  Albert 

Richardson,  Wm .  .  . 
Rhoades,  Charles... 

Rushon,  Oliver 

Sassaman,  Henry. . . 
Steltz,  Theophilus.  . 
Schanely,  Albert...  . 
Schanely,  Jacob.  .  .  . 
Schanely,  Jefferson.. 
Smith,  George  H  .  .  . 

Smith,  Thomas 

Smith,  George  W. . . 
Smith,  Nicholas .... 
Savage,  Wm.,  Sr.  .  . 

Savage,  John  L 

Souders,  Henry 

Souders,  Wm 

Simmes,  Charles. . .  . 
Sherwood,  James.  .  . 
Skiffington,  Pat'k..  . 
Savage,  Wm.,  Jr.. .  . 

Sloop,  John 

Styer,  Henry 

Smith,  Elias 

Schuler,  Franklin. .  . 

Schwenk,  John 

Schlotterer,  Samuel. 

Smith,  Jacob 

Smith,  James 

Taggert,  Joseph.  .  .  . 
Thomas,  William  H. 
Tyson,  David  P.  .  .  . 
Thomas,  Benjamin.. 

Ulmer,  Arnold 

Underkoffer,  Jos 

Westler,  William  R. 
Witherow,  James  L. 
White,  William  C.. . 
Wildsmith,  John. . .  . 

Wentz,  Peter 

West,  Alexander. .  .  . 
Williams,  Abner  W . 

Whittington,  Jos .  .  . 

Wick,  Aaron 

Wolf,  Henry 

Wick,  Christian 

Yohn,  John 

Yocum,  William..  .  . 
Zindel,  Martin.  . 


Private . 
...do.. 
...do.. 
...do.. 
. ..do. . 
...do. . 

...do.. 
. ..do.  . 
...do.. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.  do . 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.  do . 
.  do . 
.do. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


Oct.  13, 

Sept.  17, 
Sept.  25, 
Sept.  25, 
Sept.  25, 
Sept.  25, 

Sept.  16, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  25, 
Sept.  25, 
Oct.  13, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  9, 
Aug.  8, 
Aug.  8, 
Sept.  17, 
Aug.  25, 
Mar.  8, 
Mar.  8. 


.do. 
.do. 
.  do . 
.  do . 


.do. 
.do. 
.  do . 
.do. 


.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 

.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 
.do. 


'62j  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62, Tr.  to  V.  R.  C.— disch.  by  G.  O.,  July  5,  1865. 
'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62  Discharged  by  General  Order,  July  28,  1865. 
'62  Transferred  to  69th  company,  2d  batt.,  V.  R.  C. — dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  15,  1865. 
'62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
'62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
'62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62  Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  10,  1865. 
'62;  Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
'62  Died — date  unknown. 


Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 


'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 


Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 


'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 


Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Absent  at  muster  out. 


Oct.  10, 
Sept.  18, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  16, 
Oct.  13, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  25, 
.-Sept.  16, 
Oct.  12, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  25, 
Sept.  25, 
Sept.  19, 
Sept.  2, 
Sept.  25, 
Sept.  25, 


'64JAbsent  at  muster  out.  . 

'64  Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 


Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
'62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
'62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
'62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 


'02 


'62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

'62 

'(>2 

'62 

'62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

'64 

'62 


Not  on  muster-out  roll. 


Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 


Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Discharged — date  unknown. 

Wd.  at  White  House,  Va.,  June  21,  '64— tr.  to  119th  Co., 

2d  batt.,  V.  R.  C.— disch.  by  G.  O.,  Sept.  25,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  B,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 


Mar.  5 

Sept.  16 

Sept.  16,  '62  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 

Sept.  16,  '62 

Oct.  13,  '62 

Oct.  13,  '62 

Sept.  25,  '62 


Not  on  muster-out  roll. 


Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
Discharged — date  unknown. 
Deserted  November  21,  1862. 
Not  on  muster-out  roll. 


COMPANY  M. 


Coe  Durland  
Charles  C.  Brown. 

Capt  
do 

Sept.  27,  '62 
Oct     23   '62 

Pr.  from  1st  Lt.,  Oct.  23,  '62  —  to  Maj 
Promoted  from  1st  Lieut.,  Nov.  20, 

.,  Nov.  20,  '62. 
'62  —  discharged  on 

Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  18,  1863. 

444 


COMPANY  M.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

James  Ham  

Capt.... 
...do... 

1st  Lt.  .  . 
2d  Lt  .  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 

1st  Sgt.. 

Q.M.Sr.. 
Com.  Sr. 
Sergt..  .  . 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 

Oct.    23,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Oct.      8,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Oct.    20,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22.  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Oct.'    20,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22.  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Mar.  17,  '64 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Mar.     4,  '64 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.    5.  '64 
Sept.  17,  '64 
Sept.  16.  '64 

Promoted  from  2d  to  1st  Lieut.,  Nov.  20,  1862  —  to  Captain, 
May  9,  1863—  died  April  4,  of  wounds  received  at  Five 
Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  1865. 
Promoted  from  Sgt.  to  1st  Sgt.,  Nov.  3,  1863—  to  2d  Lieut., 
July  22,  1864  —  to  Captain,  June  9,  1865  —  discharged  by 
General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Pr.  fr.  Q.  M.  Sgt.  to  1st  Sgt.,  Aug.  1,  '63  —  to  1st  Lt.,  Nov. 
1,  '63  —  disch.  by  General  Order,  June  20,  '65. 
Pr.  fr.  1st  Sgt.,  Nov.  21,  '62—  com.  1st  Lt.,  Feb.  21,  '65— 
not  mus.  —  disch.  on  Surg.  cert.,  Aug.  19,  1863. 
Pr.  fr.  1st  Sgt.—  disch.  on  Surg.  cert.,  Oct.  6,  1863. 
Promoted  from  Sgt.   Maj.,  June   10,   1865  —  mustered  out 
with  Co.  K,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
Promoted  from  Sgt.  to  Q.  M.  Sgt.,  Nov.  6,  1863  —  to  1st  Lt., 
July  1,  '64—  pris.  fr.  Sept.  24,  1864,  to  Feb.  28,  '65— 
disch.  by  General  Order,  June  9,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  May  29,  '63—  to  Sgt.,  Aug.  24,  '62—  to  Q.  M. 
Sgt.,  July  1,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Mar.  8,  '63  —  to  Sgt.,  Nov.  3,  '63  —  to  Com.  Sgt., 
July  1,  '64—  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Promoted  to  Corporal,  Aug.  24,  1862  —  to  Sergeant,  July  1, 
'64—  pris.  from  Oct.  11,  '64,  to  Apr.  20,  '65—  mustered 
out      with      company,      June      16,      1865. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  Aug.  30,  '62  —  to  Sgt.,  Feb.  1,  '63  — 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  Nov.  3,  '62—  to  Sgt.,  Nov.  15,  '64— 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  July  1,  1864  —  to  Sgt.,  Nov.  15,  1864  — 
mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  1,  1863. 
Wounded  at  Raccoon  Ford,  Va.,  Sept.  16,  1864—  trans 
ferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  —  date  unknown. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20.  1865. 
Promoted  to  Cor.,  May  21,  1863  —  to  Sgt.,  Aug.  24,  '63  — 
killed  at  Shepherdstown,  W.  Va.,  Aug.  25,  '64. 
Died  at  Acquia  Creek,  Va.,  March  22,  1863. 
Promoted  to  Corporal,  May  29,  1863—  died  at  Fort  Ethan 
Allen,  Va.,  Sept.  9,  1863. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '62  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  1,  '63  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  15,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  15,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  15,  '64  —  mus.  out  with  Co.,  June  16,  '65. 
Prisoner  from  Sept.  24,   1864,  to   March  20,   1865  —  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  12,  1865. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  July  1,  1864—  prisoner  from  Sept.  24,  1864,  to 
Mar.  20,  '65—  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  9,  '65. 
Pr.  to  Cor.,  Nov.  15,  1862  —  prisoner  from  Sept.  24,  1864, 
to  Feb.  25,  '65—  disch.  by  G.  O.,  June  22,  '65. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  17,  1863. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  17,  1863. 
Promoted    to     Corporal,    Aug.    24,     1863  —  to    Hospital 
Steward,  Oct.  4,  1863. 
Killed  near  White  House.  Va.,  June  20,  1864. 
Died    Oct.    17,    of   wounds    received    at    Newtown,    Va., 
October  11,  1864. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  June,  1863. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 

Frederick  J.  Skeels  
Win  C  Freeman 

James  Brannon  

James  B.  Wood  
James  Keen  

Lafayette  Bolkoorn.  .  .  . 
Erhard  Miller  

Nicholas  Miller. 

William  H.  Watson.  .  .  . 

Franklin  P.  Cooper  
Peter  C.  Johnson  
George  T.  Spettigue..  .  . 

Ovid  H.  Coleman  

.  .  .do 

N.  S.  Schoonover  
Henry  W.  M'Mullin... 

...do... 
...do.  .. 

Chaun.  P.  Andreas  
Edmund  M  Clark. 

...do... 
do 

John  G.  Griggs  

John  L.  Cotton  
Joseph  L.  Stanton  
Charles  J.  Fox  
Edwin  E.  Belknap  
Henry  C.  Goodrich.  .  .  . 
George  C.  Brown  

Serg't.  .  . 

Corp  
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do.  .. 

Bugler.  . 
do 

Horrace  Jenkins  
Henry  A.  Sampson  

John  W.  Headley  
Bruce  R.  Woodward  .  .  . 
Henry  J.  Tarble  

Alvin  E.  Gleason  

James  Northcott  

Ebenezer  Losey  
John  T.  Fox  .... 

Gabriel  S.  M'Kinney... 
Jacob  Leybold  

Black'h 
...do... 
Saddler.. 
...do... 
Private.. 
...do.  .. 
do 

Franklin  Brown  
Amos,  Nicholas  
Bennett,  George  
Babcock,  Gordon  D  
Bloom,  Adam  
Bartle,  George  W  

...do... 
...do... 

)— 17th  R. 


445 


COMPANY  M.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Bartleson,  Chas.  H  
Baker,  Andrew  
Bryant,  Alva  

Ball,  James  E  
Bennett,  John  A  
Bedel,  John  

Private  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 

...do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 
...do... 
do 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  17,  '64 
Oct.    20,  '62 

Oct.    20,  '62 
Oct.    20.  '62 
Oct.    20,  '62 
Feb.   29,  '64 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '63 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Oct.    20,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.    5,  '64 

Sept.  22,  '64 
Sept.  24,  '64 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Mar.  30,  '64 
Sept.  22,  '64 
Sept.  22,  '64 
Sept.  17,  '64 
Sept.  22,  '64 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Mar.  30,  '64 
Oct.    20,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

April  7,    '64 
Oct.    20,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Oct.      3,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  19,  '64 
Oct.    19,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 
Sept.  29,  '62 
Oct.    13,  '62 
Sept.  16,  '64 
Sept.    5,  '64 
Oct.    20,  '62 
Sept.  22,  '62 

Sept.  22,  '62 

Prisoner  from  Sept.  24,  1864,  to  March  2,  1865  —  discharged 
by  General  Order,  June  5,  1865. 
Wounded  at  Five  Forks,  Va.,  April  1,  1865  —  disch.    by 
General  Order,  June  28,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Dec.  2,  1864  —  discharged 
•  by  General  Order,  June  28,  1865. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Deserted  November  4,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865  . 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps,  Mar.  15,  1865. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  Nov.  5,  1862. 
Deserted  —  date  unknown. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865  —  died  at  Alex 
andria,  Va.,  June  23,  '65  —  grave,  3,254. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  20,  1865. 
Deserted  March  20,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  Nov.  5,  1862. 
Mus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
Died  at  City  Point,  Va.,  July  25,  1864  —  buried  in  Cavalry 
Corps  Cemetery. 
Prisoner  from  Sept.  24,  1864,  to  April  20,  1865  —  mustered 
out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  23,  1865. 
Transferred  to  Vet.  Res.  Corps  —  discharged  by  General 
Order,  June  26,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Nov.  11,  1864. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Nov.  29,  1864. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  cert.  —  date  unknown. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  Nov.  5,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  5,  1864. 
Killed  at  Newtown,  Va.,  Oct.  11,  1864—  buried  in  National 
Cemetery,  Winchester,  lot  18. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Absent,  on  detached  service,  at  muster  out. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  November  5,  1862. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  November  5,  1862. 
Transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps,  Nov.  20,  1863  — 
disch.  by  General  Order,  September  22,  '65. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  November  5,  1862. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Musteredout  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Jan.  1,  1863 
Died  at  Washington,   D.   C.,  of  wounds  received  near 
Spottsylvania   C.   H.,   Va.,    May   27,    1864  —  buried   in 
National  Cemetery.  Arlington. 
Died  at  Alexandria,  Va.,  July  21,  1863—  grave,  881. 

Braning,  John  S  
Chapman,  Geo.  H  
Collum,  Peter  R  
Cook,  John  E  
Curtis  Jerome 

Case,  George  
Cornell,  Thomas  
Cobb,  Edgar  A  
Case,  Orson  
Dunshee,  Franklin  
Dann,  Martin  V.  B  
Denslow,  David  

Davis,  William  
Dewa,  John  
Darling,  Daniel  W.  .  .  .  . 
Dean,  John  P  
Elliott,  William  
Elliott,  George  
Elliott  Martin  V 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 
do 

Fitz  Washington 

...do... 
...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 

...do... 

.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do.  .. 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Gay  lord,  Davis  
Griswold,  John  
Graham,  Abraham  

Hardwick,  Adam  

Headley,  Robert  A  
Headley,  James  B  

Hoover  Jacob  D 

Hedglen,  Andrew  C..  .  . 
Hunter,  Peter  C  
Hunter,  George  M  
June  Francis  D 

Justice,  William  E  
Justice,  William  E  
Jordan,  Erastus  C  

Klink  Hubert. 

Kimble,  James  H  
Kelley,  James  
Kipp,  Isaac  
Kimble,  Tyler  

Lavo,  Henry  M  

Lanharr,  Samuel  
Lenox,  Andrew  J 

Miller,  Jacob  
Maines  Andrew 

...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
do 

Mitchell,  Munson  J.  .  .  . 
Myers,  Hezekiah  
Maley,  John 

Merrill,  Ansel  

...do.  .. 

Maloney,  Daniel  
Martin,  William  E  

...do... 
...do... 

446. 


COMPANY  M.  (Continued) 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO                                                           REMARKS 
SERVICE 

M'Cartin,  Edw'd  H..  .  . 
M'Graw,  John  
M'Kenna,  Matthew..  .  . 

Private.. 
...do... 
...do.  .. 

Sept.  17, 
Oct.    12, 
Aug.  29, 
Sept.    5, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  22, 
Sept.  22, 
Nov.  28, 

Oct.      8, 

Sept.  17, 
Sept.  22, 
Mar.     9, 
Sept.  22, 
Sept.  22, 

Sept.  22, 
Sept.  22, 
Sept.  22, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  16, 
Sept.  19, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  22, 

Sept.  16, 
Oct.    20, 
Oct.    20, 
Oct.    20, 
Mar.  30, 
Sept.  22, 

Sept.    5, 

Sept.  19, 
Sept.  22, 
Mar.  30, 
Mar.  30, 
Oct.    11. 
Sept.  22, 
Sept.  17, 
Sept.  24, 
Sept.  22, 
Sept.  22, 
Oct.    20, 
Sept.  22, 
Sept.  22, 
Sept.    6, 
Sept.    5, 
Oct.      3, 
Mar.     4, 
April    9, 
Sept.  22, 

'64|  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64jMus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
'64  Not  on  muster-out  roll. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Dec.  24,  1864. 
'62  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  Cert.,  March  17,  1864. 
'62  Discharged  by  General  Order,  May  18,  1865. 
'63  Prisoner  from  May  31,  1864,  to  April  30,  '65  —  mus.  out 
with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  1865. 
'62  Tr.  to  Co.  C,  19th  reg.  V.  R.  C.,  July  1,  1863—  discharged 
by  General  Order,  July  13,  1865. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62  Tr.  to  V.  R.  C.—  disch.  by  G.  O.,  July  8,  1865. 
'64  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificatee,  Oct.  27,  1864. 
'62  Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  November  5,  1862. 
'62  Died  at  Winchester,  Va.,  Oct.  18—  burial  record,  Oct.  11. 
1864  —  of  wounds  received  at  Newtown,  Oct.  11,  1864  — 
bu.  in  National  Cemetery,  lot  18. 
'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64i  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62J  Prisoner  from  Sept.  24,   1864,  to  March  10,   1865—  dis 
charged  by  General  Order,  June  9,  1865. 
'64  Discharged  by  General  Order,-  June  20,  1865. 
'62  Mus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
'62  Mus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
'62iMus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
'64  Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  14,  1865. 
'62  Died  at  Frederick,  Md.,  July  18,  1863  —  bu.  in  Nat.  Cem., 
Antietam,  section  26,  lot  E,  grave,  510. 
'64  Captured  at  Newtown,  Va.,  October   11,   1864—  died  at 
Richmond,  January  9,  1865. 
'65  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62  j  Transferred  to  U.  S.  Army,  November  5,  1862. 
'64  Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  19,  1865. 
'64  Mus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
'64JMus.  out  with  Co.  M,  2d  reg.  Pro.  Cav.,  Aug.  7,  '65. 
'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62  Discharged  by  General  Order,  June  8,  1865. 
'62  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  April  1,  1863. 
'62  Discharged  on  Surgeon's  certificate,  Feb.  17,  1865. 
'62  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Mustered  out  with  company,  June  16,  1865. 
'62|  Absent,  sick,  at  muster  out. 
'64;  Discharged  July  29,  to  date  June  16,  1865. 
'64  Deserted  —  date  unknown. 
'62  Absent,  on  detached  service,  at  muster  out. 

Newhart,  Joseph  
Nash,  James  M  
Odell,  Verdine  E  
Odell,  Benjamin  
Osborne  Wm  H 

...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .. 
do 

Pethick,  Charles  
Rook,  Joseph  

...do... 

...  do  ... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
.  do 

Rounds,  Ruble  
Ryan  Johu  .  .  . 

Rhodes,  Almon  
Ricks,  Warren  

, 
.  ..do.  .  . 

.  ..do.  .  . 

Smith,  Simpson  
Stanton,  Lucian  E  
Simpson,  George  
Shrader,  Charles  M  
Statler,  Daniel  
Shirey,  Adam  W  
Shrader,  Jacob  
Shapley,  Jonathan  

Shatzer,  William  

...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 

Seely,  Charles  
Shelters,  James  L  
Seely,  Francis  
Sherwood,  Earl  

Seybold,  David  
Strong,  Smith  

Thompson,  Martin  
Tighe,  Patrick  
Tennant,  Everal  E  
Taylor,  John  
Turner,  James  M  
Uglow,  Richard  
Valentine  Isaac  F 

...do... 
...do... 

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .. 
do 

Valentine,  Gilbert  B  .  .  . 
Valentine,  John  T  
Vanosdel,  George 

Van  Deuson,  L.  W  
Van  Kleek,  David  
Woodward,  Thos.L.... 
Waltman,  William  
White,  James  
Walker,  William  C  
Wilson,  William  J  
Wright,  Edward  
Young,  Nathan  S  

...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 

447 


UNASSIGNED  MEN 


NAME 

RANK 

DATE  OF 
MUSTER  INTO 
SERVICE 

REMARKS 

Bliss  John 

Private.  . 
...do... 
...do.  .. 
do 

Nov.  26,  '64 
Oct.      7,  '64 
Feb'.   27,  '64 
Sept.  16,  '64 
Mar.  23,  '64 
Sept.    2,  '64 
Aug.  31,  '64 
Oct.      4,  '64 
April  21,  '64 
Oct.    10,  '64 
Mar.  31,  '64 
Mar.     7,  '64 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Aug.  30,  '64 
April  12,  '64 
April  13,  '64 
Oct.    10,  '64 
Sept.  10,  '64 
Sept.    7,  '64 
Aug.     8,  '64 
Mar.  19,  '64 
Mar.  10,  '64 
Mar.  21,  '64 
April  12,  '64 
Nov.  26,  '64 
April  20,  '64 
Feb.   20,  '64 
Oct.    19,  '64 
Mar.  21,  '64 
Oct.    19,  '64 
Nov.  26,  '64 
Mar.     9,  '64 
April  12,  '64 
April  20,  '64 
April  22,  '64 
Mar.     3,  '64 
Feb.    15,  '64 
Mar.  24,  '64 
Mar.  31,  '64 
Aug.  29,  '64 
Oct.    19,  '64 
Aug.  16,  '64 
April  12,  '64 
Sept.    5,  '64 
April    9,  '64 
April    9,  '64 
Mar.  23,  '64 
Mar.  23,  '64 
Nov.  26,  '64 
April  21,  '64 
Sept.  12,  '64 
Sept.  16,  '64 
Sept.  13,  '64 
Aug.     9,  '64 

Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for.                                                          ^ 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 
Not  accounted  for. 

Borker,  Abraham  
Ballou,  Isaac  
Brown  William 

Boyd,  James  
Brine,  John  

...do... 
...do.  .. 

Chapman,  M.  J  
Cline,  Alonzo  
Cronan   Patrick 

...do.  .. 
...do.  .. 
do 

Callahan,  Timothy  
Conaway,  Patrick  

...do... 
.  ..do... 

Davis,  William  
Dilley,  George  W  
Dailey  John  C  

...do... 
.  ..do... 
do 

Dougherty   Thomas. 

do 

Day,  Charles  

...do.  .. 

Gray,  George  
Gray,  Thomas  
Hepler,  Daniel  

...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 
do 

Henesey,  Patrick  
Hipwell,  James  A  
Hughes,  John  
Heaney,  John  
Jackson,  William  
Jenkins,  Joel  
Jones,  Madison  
Kersey,  James  
Kees,  Andrew  J  
Lee,  Robert  
Moore,  John  
May,  Adam  
May,  Charles  E  
M'Alister,  William  
M'Laughlin,  Bern'd.. 
M'Gee,  John  
Oliver,  James  
Powell,  William  

...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .. 
...do..  . 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do... 
...do..  . 
...do.  .  . 

Parks,  James  L  
Plunkett,  Isaac  

...do... 
...do... 
do 

Robson,  John  
Raferty,  John  
Sharts,  Thomas  T  
Sharp,  William  
Shanley,  Daniel  
Sweeney,  James  
Thompson,  John  C  .  .  .  . 
Wilson,  John  
Whitney   Charles 

...do... 
...do... 
...do.  .  . 
...do.  .  . 
...do... 
...do... 
.  ..do.  .  . 
...do... 
do 

White,  Samuel  
White,  George  
Weisbaden  Julius 

...do... 
...do... 
do   .  . 

Wilson,  George  

...do... 

448 


REGIMENTAL    REUNIONS 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS. 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  October  19,  1886. 

In  response  to  an  informal  call  by  Colonel  Coe  Durland 
of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cav 
alry,  to  hold  a  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  the  regiment  at 
the  Eagle  Hotel  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  October  19,  1886,  forty- 
five  members  and  about  as  many  of  their  friends  responded 
to  the  call.  After  the  usual  greeting,  conveyances  were  se 
cured  and  a  tour,  in  charge  of  a  competent  guide,  was  made 
over  the  battlefield,  with  frequent  stops  and  lectures  at 
points  where  the  regiment  had  engaged  the  enemy.  This 
was  for  the  purpose  of  selecting  the  most  prominent  loca 
tion  for  the  erection  of  a  suitable  monument  to  commemo 
rate  the  important  part  the  regiment  took  in  the  great  battle 
fought  on  Pennsylvania  soil. 

In  the  evening  a  meeting  was  held  in  the  room  of  Cor 
poral  Skelly  Post  No.  9,  Grand  Army  Hall,  at  Gettysburg ; 
and  a  permanent  organization  was  effected.  The  following 
officers  were  elected :  President,  Colonel  Coe  Durland,  of 
Honesdale,  Pa.,  Vice-president  and  Treasurer,  Brevet  Lieu 
tenant-colonel  William  Thompson,  of  Pottsville,  Pa.,  Sec 
retary  Bugler  H.  P.  Mover,  of  Lebanon,  Pa.  The  presi 
dent  upon  taking  the  chair  made  the  following  address : 

"Comrades,  Ladies  and  Gentlemen — Accept  my  thanks  for 
electing  me  to  this  honorable  position.  It  is  quite  a  long 
time  since  we  broke  camp  for  the  last  time  at  Clouds  Mills, 
Virginia.  Boys  born  since  that  time  will  use  the  right  of 
franchise  this  fall,  and  are  now  older  than  many  members 
of  the  regiment  who  were  mustered  out  June  16,  1865. 
Others  have  received  their  final  muster  out  and  gone  to 
that  home  where  there  are  no  wars.  Another  twenty-one 
years  and  there  will  be  but  very  few  of  the  old  regiment 
left  to  tell  the  tales  of  valor  in  that  unholy  War  of  the 
Rebellion. 

451 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

"It  seems  to  me  very  fitting  that  we  should  meet  again. 
The  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry 
were  the  first  troops  of  the  Army  of  the  Potomac  at  Gettys 
burg,  fired  the  first  shot,  and  the  gallant  soldier  is  with  us 
today  who  dropped  the  first  Rebel  in  that  great  battle  of  the 
war  which  drove  the  Rebel  host  from  our  State.  It  has 
been  proposed  that  we  form  an  organization  for  the  pur 
pose  of  perpetuating  the  memories  of  war  times,  for  solicit 
ing  State  aid  for  a  monument  to  be  erected  on  this  battle 
field  and,  more  especially,  that  the  surviving  members  can 
and  will  be  more  social,  and  I  hope  that  this  reunion  will 
be  the  forerunner  of  many  more  similar  occasions. 

I  am  ever  so  much  pleased  to  meet  you  all  again,  and  I 
hope,  too,  that  at  some  future  time,  all  the  surviving  mem 
bers  of  this  gallant  old  regiment  that  lost  blood  on  over 
fifty-seven  battlefields  of  the  Civil  War,  can  be  brought 
together. 

First  Lieutenant  James  Brennan,  of  Scranton,  Pa.,  read 
the  following  poem. 

.  CAETERA  DESUNT. 
Unfurl  our  banner — once  again 

The  shattered  ranks  reform, 
Where,  here  on  this  historic  ground, 

We  braved  the  battle's  storm. 

Time's  enfilade  has  swept  our  line, 

Not  many  now  remain ; 
Bring  back  our  soldiers  of  the  past 

To  fill  the  ranks  again. 

Call  up  the  phantom  troopers  now, 

From  honor's  marble  thrall, 
And  thwart  their  silent  camping  grounds, 

Ring  out  the  bugle's  call. 

In  line  of  blood  their  names  are  writ, 

On  fame's  untarnished  scroll, 
On  glory's  field,  where  once  they  trod — 

Call  Fame's  bright  muster  roll. 

Behold!  they  come  with  martial  mien, 

From  meadows,  wood  and  glades, 
From  battered  scabbards,  high  in  air, 

Leap  forth  their  glittering  blades. 

452 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

Silent  they  pass  in  grim  review, 

Those  spectral  squadrons  brave, 
From  out  the  shadowy  ranks  on  high 

Their  shredded  guidons  wave. 

No  helmet  bright :  no  waving  plume, 

Adorns  the  martial  brow, 
Bronzed  warriors,  battle  scarred,  begrimed, 

Your  comrades  greet  you  now. 

There  being  no  prearranged  program,  the  balance  of  the 
evening  was  spent  in  reviewing  army  experiences,  relating 
scenes  and  incidents  that  occurred  in  camp,  on  the  march 
and  on  the  battlefield.  A  number  of  distinguished  persons 
being  present  who  were  not  members  of  the  regiment,  join 
ed  and  succeeded  admirably  in  contributing  fuel  to  the 
camp  fire  talks.  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  William  Thomp 
son,  Lieutenant  P.  J.  Tate,  and  Lieutenant  Baird  Snyder 
were  appointed  a  committee  to  draft  a  constitution  and  by 
laws  for  the  association,  and  report  at  the  next  meeting. 
Colonel  Coe  Durland,  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  William 
Thompson,  Lieutenant  Baird  Snyder,  Brevet  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Theodore  W.  Bean,  Captain  J.  S.  Sponsler,  Lieu 
tenant  A.  D.  Corse,  Lieutenant  James  Brennan,  Sergeant  H. 
T.  John,  and  Bugler  H.  P.  Moyer  were  appointed  a  com 
mittee  on  monument.  Lebanon,  Pa.,  October  5,  1887,  was 
chosen  as  the  place  and  date  for  the  next  reunion. 

Lebanon,  Pa.,  October  5,  1887. 

The  second  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  the  regiment  was 
held  in  the  Hall  of  Sedgwick  Post  No.  42,  G.  A.  R.,  at  Leb 
anon,  Pa.,  October  5,  1887.  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Wil 
liam  Thompson  presided.  Bugler  H.  P.  Moyer  made  the 
address  of  welcome  which  was  responded  to  by  the  presid 
ing  officer,  Colonel  Thompson. 


453 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

The  Committee  on  Constitution  and  By-laws  submitted 
the  following  report  which  was  adopted. 

SEVENTEENTH  REGIMENT,  PENNSYLVANIA 
VOLUNTEER  CAVALRY  ASSOCIATION. 

i62d  in  Line. 
PREAMBLE  AND  BY-LAWS. 

We,  the  surviving  honorably  discharged  soldiers  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry  in  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion,  for  the  purpose  of  aiding  and  assisting  in  the  erec 
tion  of  a  monument  on  the  Battlefield  of  Gettysburg,  marking  the 
position  of  the  regiment  in  said  battle,  under  the  provisions  of  an 
Act  of  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Pennsyl 
vania,  approved  June  15,  1887,  and  fostering  the  ties  of  comrade 
ship  cemented  in  camp  and  field,  do  hereby  organize  the  Seven 
teenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry  Association,  and 
adopt  the  following  laws  for  its  government. 

ARTICLE  I. 

SECTION  i.  The  name  and  title  of  this  Association  shall  be  The 
Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry  Association. 

ARTICLE  II. 

SECTION  i.  All  persons  having  an  honorable  discharge  from  the 
Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  or  from 
the  organization  to  which  transferred  from  said  regiment,  are  elig 
ible  to  membership. 

SECTION  2.  The  fact  of  honorable  discharge  shall  be  determined 
by  the  president  and  secretary  of  the  association,  or  the  records  of 
the  adjutant  general  of  the  United  States  or  of  Pennsylvania. 

SECTION  3.  Each  person  at  the  time  of  becoming  a  member  shall 
pay  the  sum  of  One  Dollar,  and  thereafter  One  Dollar  annually. 

ARTICLE  III. 

SECTION  i.  The  officers  shall  consist  of  a  president,  two  vice- 
presidents,  a  secretary,  treasurer,  and  an  executive  committee  which 
shall  consist  of  fourteen  members,  composed  of  one  comrade  from 
each  of  the  twelve  companies,  one  from  the  field  and  staff,  and  one 
from  the  line  of  the  officers  of  the  regiment. 

SECTION  2.  The  nomination  and  election  of  officers  shall  take 
place  on  the  day  of  the  meeting  of  the  association. 

SECTION  3.  The  president  shall  preside  at  all  meetings,  preserve 
order  and  discipline,  and  appoint  all  committees  not  otherwise  pro 
vided  for. 

454 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

SECTION  4.  The  vice-president  shall  perform  the  duties  of  the 
president  in  his  absence. 

SECTION  5.  The  secretary  shall  keep  accurate  records  of  the  pro 
ceedings  of  the  association,  a  correct  roll  of  all  members,  with  their 
post  office  address,  and  record  the  death  of  each  member  in  a  necro- 
logical  table,  and  have  charge  of  the  books,  records,  papers,  and 
by-laws  of  the  association,  and  conduct  the  correspondence  of  the 
association. 

SECTION  6.  The  treasurer  shall  keep  an  accurate  account  of  all 
money  received  by  him,  and  from  whom,  and  shall  pay  no  money 
without  an  order  signed  by  the  president  and  attested  by  the  secre 
tary;  keep  his  books  ready  for  examination  and  make  a  report  to 
the  association  of  its  finances,  at  each  meeting,  and  to  the  executive 
committee  whenever  required  by  it. 

SECTION  7.  The  management  and  control  of  the  affairs  of  this 
association  not  otherwise  provided  in  these  by-laws  or  by  the  asso 
ciation  at  a  meeting,  shall  be  in  the  hands  of  the  executive  com 
mittee  when  a  meeting  is  not  being  held ;  it  shall  fix  the  place,  the 
day  of  the  month,  of  the  meeting,  and  make  all  necessary  arrange 
ments  for  them;  it  shall  have  power  to  arrange  for  the  erection  of 
monuments,  collect  and  expend  moneys  therefor;  it  shall  appoint 
five  members  of  the  association  as  a  committee  to  represent  the 
association  to  cooperate  with  the  commissioners  appointed  by  the 
Governor  of  Pennsylvania  under  the  provisions  of  an  act  of  the 
General  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania,  approved  June  15,  1887. 

ARTICLE  IV. 

SECTION  i.  The  association  shall  hold  regular  meetings  annually 
at  such  place  as  shall  be  determined  at  the  last  regular  meeting. 

SECTION  2.  The  executive  committee  shall  fix  the  time  of  the 
meetings  of  the  association,  and  the  secretary  notify  each  member 
in  due  time. 

ARTICLE  V. 

SECTION  i.  The  president  shall  appoint  two  tellers  and  one  judge, 
whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  conduct  the  election  of  officers,  none  of 
which  being  candidates.  A  majority  of  all  votes  cast  shall  be  neces 
sary  for  an  election.  In  case  no  candidate  has  a  majority  on  first 
ballot,  the  candidate  receiving  the  lowest  number  of  votes  shall  be 
dropped,  and  so  on  in  each  successive  ballot. 

ARTICLE  VI. 

SECTION  i.  Alterations  and  amendments  to  these  by-laws  may  be 
made  at  any  meeting  of  the  association,  but  only  by  a  two-thirds 
vote  of  the  members  present. 

455 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

ARTICLE  VII. 

SECTION  i.    The  order  of  business  shall  be : 

1.  Roll  call. 

2.  Reading  of  proceedings  of  previous  meeting. 

3.  Report  of  deaths  since  last  meeting. 

4.  Report  of  committees. 

5.  Report  of  officers  and  executive  committee. 

6.  Application  for  membership. 

7.  Deferred  business. 

8.  New  business. 

9.  Good  of  the  association. 

LEBANON,  PA.,  Oct.  5,  1887. 

We  certify  that  the  foregoing  is  a  true  and  correct  copy  of  the 
preamble  and  by-laws  adopted  by  the  survivors  of  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  assembled  in  the  Grand 
Army  Hall  at  Lebanon,  Pa.,  Oct.  5,  1887. 

COE   DURLAND, 

H.  P.  MOYER,  President. 

Secretary. 

The  following  committee  was  appointed  on  monument  with 
power  to  act,  viz. :  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel,  W.  Thomp 
son;  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel,  Theo.  W.  Bean;  Lieuten 
ant  James  Brennan;  Sergeant  H.  G.  Williams,  Bugler  H. 
P.  Moyer. 

In  the  evening  about  fifty  members  of  Sedgwick  Post  No. 
42,  G.  A.  R.,  with  the  Perseverance  Band  of  Lebanon  es 
corted  the  visiting  comrades  to  the  court-house  where 
a  camp  fire  was  held  and  addresses  were  made  by  General 
J.  P.  S.  Gobin,  Colonel  Coe  Durland,  Brevet  Lieutenant- 
colonel  Theo.  W.  Bean,  Major  Grant  Weidman,  Sergeant 
H.  G.  Hunter  and  Bugler  H.  P.  Moyer.  Comrade  Thomas 
Kay,  of  Philadelphia,  sang  a  number  of  songs,  and  the 
Perseverance  Band  discoursed  excellent  music.  After  the 
camp  fire  the  members  of  Company  E  entertained  their 
visiting  comrades  at  luncheon  at  the  American  House.  Be 
fore  adjournment,  the  "Boys"  unanimously  voted  this  to 
have  been  the  most  enjoyable  occasion  they  had  had  since 
the  close  of  the  war. 

No  regimental  reunion  was  held  in  1888,  but  the  veterans 
were  quite  active,  effecting  company  organizations  and  so- 

456 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

liciting  contributions  to  be  used  in  connection  with  the  State 
appropriation  for  the  proposed  monument  to  be  erected  on 
the  battlefield  of  Gettysburg  the  following  year.  The  com 
mittee  on  monument,  including  Colonel  Coe  Durland  and  the 
State  Commissioners,  met  a  representative  of  the  Smith 
Granite  Company,  of  Boston,  Mass.,  and  adopted  a  mount 
ed  cavalry  vedette  as  an  appropriate  design  for  the  monu 
ment,  to  be  located  at  the  junction  of  the  Mummasburg 
Road  and  Buford  Avenue.  The  committee  also  issued  a 
circular  letter  addressed  to  all  members  of  the  old  regiment 
whose  addresses  could  be  ascertained,  giving  a  description 
of  the  monument,  its  location  and  cost.  This  was  done  for 
the  purpose  of  giving  all  the  members  of  the  regiment  an 
opportunity  to  contribute  towards  defraying  the  necessary 
expenses  of  the  monument,  and  to  invite  them  to  partici 
pate  in  the  unveiling  and  dedicatory  services. 

On  the  1 2th  day  of  October,  1888,  the  Monument  Com 
mittee,  at  the  request  of  the  Smith  Granite  Company,  visited 
the  quarries  of  the  company  at  Westerly,  R.  I.,  for  the 
purpose  of  examining  the  boulder  and  to  make  such  correc 
tions  in  the  model  as  were  deemed  necessary.  On  the  nth 
day  of  June,  1889,  the  Smith  Granite  Company,  informed 
Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  William  Thompson  that  the 
monument  was  placed  in  position  and  requested  the  com 
mittee  to  meet  the  Pennsylvania  Board  of  Commissioners 
at  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  on  the  2ist  day  of  June,  1889,  for  the 
purpose  of  accepting  the  same,  if  satisfactory.  The  committee 
met  the  Commission  and  upon  examination  found  the 
monument  located  at  the  intersection  of  the  Mummasburg 
Road  and  Buford  Avenue,  near  the  residence  of  Mr.  J.  S. 
Forney,  at  the  point  designated  by  the  committee.  They 
also  found  that  the  work  of  the  Smith  Granite  Company 
had  been  satisfactorily  performed,  and  the  monument  was 
accepted  by  both  the  committee  and  the  Board  of  Commiss 
ioners. 

REUNION  AND  DEDICATION  OF  MONUMENT. 

Wednesday,  September  n,  1889,  at  eleven  o'clock  a.  m., 
was  the  time  fixed  for  the  unveiling  and  dedication  of  the 

457 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

monument.  The  State  furnished  free  transportation,  to  and 
from  Gettysburg,  to  every  survivor  of  the  regiment  within 
the  limits  of  the  State,  who  was,,  previously  to  and  at  the 
time  of  the  battle,  on  the  muster  roll  of  the  regiment.  About 
three  hundred  of  the  members  of  the  old  regiment  answer 
ed  roll  call  on  that  day.  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Theodore 
W.  Bean,  of  the  regiment,  delivered  an  appropriate  ad 
dress  ;  the  Perseverance  Band  of  Lebanon,  Pa.  furnished 
excellent  music;  and  a  choir  of  some  fifty  voices  of  the 
Methodist  Church  of  Gettysburg,  Pa.,  sang  several  appro 
priate  selections.  At  the  time  of  the  unveiling  and  dedi 
catory  services,  the  following  programme  was  observed, 
Colonel  Coe  Durland  presiding,  viz. : 

Assembly  Call  by  A.  Donaberger,  Regimental  Bugler. 

Music,  Methodist  Church  choir,  I.  R.  Dunkerley,  lead 
er. 

Prayer,  by  Rev.  H.  Wheeler,  regimental  chaplain. 

Music,  Perseverance  Band  of  Lebanon,  Pa. 

Singing,  "Auld  Lang  Syne,"  chorus. 

Oration,  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Theo.  W.  Bean. 

Music,  Perseverance  Band  of  Lebanon,  Pa. 

Singing,  "America,"  chorus. 

Bugle  Calls,  by  the  Regimental  Bugler,  A.  Donaberger. 

Music,  Methodist  Church  choir  of  Gettysburg,  Pa. 

Benediction,  Regimental  Chaplain,  Rev.  H.  Wheeler. 

Taps,  Regimental  Bugler,  A.  Donaberger. 

The  exercises  were  held  on  the  spacious  lawrn  in  front 
of  Mr.  J.  S.  Forney's  residence.  The  lawn  and  stand  were 
beautifully  decorated.  The  singing  rendered  by  the  Metho 
dist  choir  of  Gettysburg  was  specially  prepared  for  the  oc 
casion  and  was  so  well  received  that  several  encores  were 
called  for  and  rendered.  The  music  of  the  Perseverance 
Band  was  patriotic,  and  was  enthusiastically  applauded.  The 
address  of  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Bean,  the  regimental 
historian,  was  appropriate  and  eloquent,  reviewing  in  detail 
the  part  the  regiment  took  in  the  battle  of  Gettysburg.  All 
the  exercises  of  the  occasion  were  thoroughly  military  and 
patriotic,  and  a  fitting  climax  to  the  regiment's  gallant  re 
cord. 

458 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

In  the  evening  of  the  day  of  dedication  an  informal  camp 
fire  was  held  at  the  Battlefield  Hotel.  Ex-governor  Andrew 
G.  Curtin  was  the  honored  guest.  Although  quite  enfeebled 
in  health,  he  contributed  a  very  tender  and  feeling  address. 
He  distinctly  remembered  President  Lincoln's  requisition  up 
on  the  State  of  Pennsylvania  for  three  regiments  of  cavalry ; 
and,  because  the  War  Department,  up  to  that  time,  seemingly 
had  little  faith  in  the  cavalry  service,  (which  later  proved  to 
be  so  important  and  useful  a  branch  of  the  military)  how  an 
xious  he  was  that  the  State  should  respond  to  this  call  by 
sending  the  very  best  material  it  could  produce.  He  minutely 
detailed  the  instructions  he  gave  to  the  recruiting  offi 
cers,  suggesting  that  they  confine  themselves  chiefly  to 
rural  localities,  and  thus  secure  men  of  outdoor  employment 
and  accustomed  to  the  handling  of  horses. 

The  Ex-governor  said,  too,  that  he  was  glad  to  be  pres 
ent  for  another  reason, — that  it  gave  him  a  splendid  op 
portunity  to  reveal  a  secret  which  he  had  kept  ever  since 
the  regiment  was  organized.  He  said  "When  the  commis 
sions  for  the  line  officers  of  the  regiment  were  presented 
for  confirmation,  I  approved  all  of  them  except  that  of  Col 
onel  John  B.  McAllister,  who  had  been  elected  colonel  of 
the  regiment.  Several  days  later  the  line  officers  of  the  regi 
ment  waited  upon  me  in  a  body  and  urged  the  approval  of 
their  choice,  and  when  the  request  was  again  denied,  I  was 
pressed  for  a  reason.  I  refused  again,  saying,  that  for  rea 
sons  best  known  to  myself,  I  deem  it  wise  not  to  divulge 
them  at  this  time. 

"After  assuring  them  there  were  no  personal  reasons,  I 
dismissed  them,  knowing  full  well  that  I  had  caused  their 
displeasure,  and  that  I  myself  felt  more  distressed  than 
any  one  else.  The  reason  he  then  gave  was,  that  fre 
quently  commissions  were  issued  to  men  who  were  not 
qualified  and  knew  practically  nothing  of  military  affairs 
and  proved  themselves  failures  as  commanding  officers  of 
regiments.  And,  as  I  was  very  anxious  that  these  three 
cavalry  regiments  should  have  the  benefit  of  the  best  mili 
tary  discipline  and  training,  I  made  a  request  of  Presi 
dent  Lincoln  to  detail,  for  each  regiment,  a  regular  army 

459 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

officer  who  was  thoroughly  competent  to  command  a  regi 
ment  of  cavalry,  which  the  President  agreed  to  do;  hence 
the  appointment  of  Colonel  Josiah  H.  Kellogg,  who  then 
held  a  commission  as  captain  in  the  First  United  States 
Cavalry  Regiment,  as  the  commanding  officer  of  your  gal 
lant  regiment. 

The  Ex-governor  was  kind  enough  to  say  that,  in  the 
recruiting  of  these  regiments,  his  expectations  were  fully 
realized,  and  emphasized  the  fact  by  saying  that,  of  all  the 
regiments  he  had  the  honor  of  sending  to  the  front,  none 
returned  witth  a  more  illustrious  record  than  the  Seven 
teenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry. 

Colonel  Coe  Durland,  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Bean, 
and  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Thompson,  and  a  number  of 
other  comrades  present  made  addresses  which  contributed 
fuel  to  the  camp  fire  talk.  The  veterans  and  their  friends 
seemed  to  refer  with  considerable  pride  to  the  records  of 
their  regiment.  Incidents  and  experiences  that  occurred  in 
camp,  on  the  march  and  on  the  battlefield,  were  given,  that 
were  thoroughly  enjoyed  by  all  who  were  present.  It  was 
a  red-letter  day  in  the  history  of  the  old  regiment  such 
as  the  boys  had  not  enjoyed  since  the  day  it  was  mustered 
out  of  service. 

Chambersburg,  Pa.,  June  3,  1896. 

A  reunion  of  the  surviving  members  of  the  regiment  was 
held  in  Columbus  Lodge  Room,  I.  O.  O.  F.  No.  75,  Cham 
bersburg,  Pa.,  June  3,  1896,  President  Colonel  Coe  Durland 
presiding.  Forty-six  members  answered  to  roll  call.  Fifty- 
four  relatives  and  friends  were  also  present.  Companies 
F  and  G  having  been  recruited  in  the  Cumberland  Valley, 
the  surviving  members  of  these  two  companies  had  pre 
pared  an  elaborate  program  for  the  entertainment  of  their 
visiting  comrades.  A  prominent  feature  of  the  program 
was  the  rendering  of  national  airs  and  old  army  songs  in 
which  the  veterans  heartily  joined. 

This  having  been  the  first  and  only  reunion  of  the  regi 
ment  at  which  Lieutenant  James  A.  Clark,  the  adjutant  of 
the  regiment,  was  present,  he  contributed,  by  request,  a  very 

460 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

interesting  talk  on  his  experience  in  the  several  Rebel  pris 
ons  in  which  he  was  confined.  He  detailed  at  considerable 
length  his  capture  at  the  battle  of  Winchester,  W.  Va.,  Sep 
tember  19,  1864,  the  forced  and  cruel  march  to  Richmond, 
his  confinement  in  Libby  Prison  from  September  22,  1864,  to 
October  14,  1864,  when  he  was  transferred  to  the  prison 
pen  at  Salisbury,  N.  C,  where,  on  account  of  the  want  of 
shelter,  insufficient  food  and  the  crowded  condition  of  the 
pen,  the  suffering  of  the  prisoners  cannot  be  described.  He 
said  that,  because  of  the  congested  condition  of  the  pen  and 
the  constant  arrival  of  more  prisoners,  on  November  12, 

1864,  he,  with  other  prisoners,  was  transferred  to  Danville, 
Va.,  and  confined  in  an  old  abandoned  tobacco  warehouse, 
where,  for  the  want  of  any  sanitary  facilities,  the  place 
became  so  filthy  that  he  regarded  his  escape  with  his  life 
from  that  dungeon  as  marvelous.    He  said,  on  February  18, 

1865,  ne  with  others,  was  again  transferred  to  Libby  Pris 
on  at  Richmond;  on  February  21,  1865,  was  paroled;  April 
5,  1865,  was  exchanged;  and  joined  the  regiment,  May  i, 
1865.    A  beautiful  and  appropriate  souvenir  badge,  bearing 
on  its  face  a  mounted  cavalry  vedette,  while  the  reverse 
side  gave  name  of  regiment,  with  time  and  place  of  the 
meeting,  was  presented  to  each  member  present. 

Lebanon,  Pa.,  October  14,  1898. 

A  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  the  regiment  convened  in 
the  hall  of  Sedgwick  Post  No.  42,  G.  A.  R.,  at  Lebanon,  Pa., 
October  14,  1898,  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  William 
Thompson  presiding.  The  visiting  comrades  being  the 
guests  of  Company  E,  Bugler  H.  P.  Moyer,  in  behalf  of  the 
company,  made  an  appropriate  address  of  welcome,  which 
was  responded  to  by  Major  J.  W.  DeWitt.  Twenty-eight 
members  responded  to  roll  call.  An  invitation  from  the 
Central  District  of  Pennsylvania,  Grand  Army  of  the  Re 
public,  to  participate  in  a  camp  fire  held  in  the  court-house 
in  the  evening,  was  accepted.  At  this  camp  fire  Colonel  Coe 
Durland,  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  William  Thompson  and 
Bugler  H.  P.  Moyer  delivered  eloquent  and  patriotic  ad 
dresses. 

461 

30— 17th  R. 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

Philadelphia,  Pa.,  September  6,  1899. 

A  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  the  regiment  was  held  in 
one  of  the  committee  rooms  of  the  Odd  Fellows  Temple, 
in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  Wednesday,  September  6, 
1899,  President  Colonel  Coe  Durland  presiding.  Forty 
members  answered  roll  call.  Lieutenant  Enos  P.  Jeffries, 
a  resident  of  the  city,  delivered  a  warm  address  of  welcome. 
In  behalf  of  the  visiting  comrades  the  regiment's  chaplain, 
Rev.  Henry  Wheeler,  responded.  After  the  usual  routine 
of  business,  Hon.  Brum,  of  Minersville,  Pa.,  delivered  an 
eloquent  and  patriotic  address.  He  paid  a  glowing  and  fit 
ting  tribute  to  the  American  volunteer  soldiers.  Chaplain 
H.  Wheeler  also  delivered  an  appropriate  address,  empha 
sizing  the  valuable  service  rendered  by  the  boys  in  blue  to 
the  country  during  the  Civil  War. 

Gettysburg,  Pa.,  June  6,  1900. 

A  reunion  of  the  surviving  members  of  the  regiment  was 
held  in  the  hall  of  Corporal  Skelly  Post  No.  9,  G.  A.  R.,  at 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  June  6,  1900.  President  Colonel  Coe  Dur 
land  presided.  Thirty-nine  members  answered  roll  call. 
Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  Thompson,  Chaplain  Henry 
Wheeler,  Lieutenant  H.  G.  Bonebrake  and  Bugler  H.  P. 
Mover  made  addresses.  The  compilation  of  a  regimental 
history  was  discussed  and  a  number  of  suggestions  and 
propositions  submitted.  Bugler  H.  P.  Moyer,  of  Lebanon, 
Pa.,  was  elected  historian  with  instructions  to  solicit  con 
tributions  and  prepare  data  for  such  contemplated  history. 

After  luncheon  the  comrades  and  friends  were  driven 
over  the  battlefield  in  charge  of  Guide  Luther  Minnich.  A 
stop  of  at  least  one  hour  was  made  where  the  regimental 
monument  is  located,  at  the  intersection  of  the  Mummas- 
burg  Road  and  Buford  Avenue,  where  the  first  day's  en 
gagement  was  reviewed  by  Mr.  Luther  Minnich.  Mr.  Wil 
liam  Tipton,  a  prominent  photographer  of  Gettysburg,  was 
engaged  to  meet  the  members  and  guests  of  the  regiment 
at  this  point  and  several  excellent  group  photographs  were 
taken,  after  which  the  drive  was  continued  and  other  promi 
nent  points  of  the  battlefield  visited.  The  occasion  was 
thoroughly  enjoyed  by  those  who  were  present. 

462 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

Gettysburg,  Pa.,  September  19,  1902. 

A  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  the  regiment  was  held  in 
Corporal  Skelly  Post  No.  9,  G.  A.  R.,  at  Gettysburg,  Pa.. 
September  19,  1902,  Colonel  Coe  Durland  presiding,  who 
delivered  an  appropriate  address  of  welcome.  The  regi 
mental  chaplain,  Rev.  Henry  Wheeler,  responded.  The  en 
rollment  showed  thirty-seven  members  present.  A  number 
of  communications  were  read  from  members  of  the  regi 
ment  who  could  not  be  present.  A  number  of  the  veter 
ans  were  accompanied  by  members  of  their  families  and 
by  friends.  Among  these,  was  the  wife  of  Chaplain  Wheeler 
who  contributed  a  very  entertaining  impromptu  address  on 
the  conditions  of  the  country  that  obtained  during  the 
Civil  War,  and  paid  a  glowing  tribute  to  the  men  who 
risked  their  lives  to  preserve  our  Christian  nation.  Colonel 
E  E.  Wood,  of  West  Point  United  States  Military 
Academy,  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  William  Thomp 
son,  Chaplain  H,  Wheeler,  Lieutenant  H.  G.  Bone- 
brake  and  several  other  comrades  made  short  addresses. 
The  regimental  historian,  Comrade  H.  P.  Mover,  made 
a  detailed  verbal  report  of  the  progress  made  in  solicit 
ing  data  for  the  compilation  of  the  proposed  regimental 
history.  He  reported  having  secured  the  services  of  Lieu 
tenant  James  A.  Clark,  who,  until  captured  in  the  battle 
of  Winchester,  W.  Va.,  September  19,  1864,  had  served  as 
adjutant  of  the  regiment,  to  assist  him  in  editing  the  his 
tory.  The  historian  made  a  strong  appeal  to  those  pres 
ent  to  contribute  data  and  funds  necessary  to  prosecute 
the  work.  After  luncheon  the  members  and  their  friends 
enjoyed  a  most  delightful  drive  to  the  regimental  monu 
ment  and  other  portions  of  the  field,  in  charge  of  Guide 
James  T.  Long  who  delivered  a  number  of  interesting 
lectures  on  some  of  the  most  important  events  of  the 
battle.  The  day  was  a  memorable  one  in  the  history  of 
the  association. 

Gettysburg,   Pa.,   October  23,    1908. 

In  commemoration  of  the  forty-sixth  anniversary  of  the 
muster  of  the  regiment,  a  reunion  of  the  survivors  was 

463 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

held  in  the  parlors  of  the  Eagle  Hotel,  at  Gettysburg,  Pa., 
October  23,  1908.  Both  the  president,  Colonel  Coe  Dur- 
land,  and  the  Vice-president,  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel 
William  Thompson,  having  died  since  the  last  reunion,  the 
secretary,  H.  P.  Moyer,  presided.  In  behalf  of  the  citizens 
of  Gettysburg,  J.  Lawrence  Williams  extended  a  warm 
address  of  welcome,  to  which  Comrade  H.  P.  Moyer,  in 
behalf  of  the  veterans,  responded.  Thirty-eight  members 
answered  roll  call.  The  spacious  parlors  of  the  hotel  were 
crowded  with  the  wives,  daughters,  sons  and  friends  of 
the  veterans  who  were  intensely  interested  in  the  proceed 
ings  of  the  meeting.  A  number  of  appropriate  eulogies 
were  delivered  incident  to  the  services  of  some  of  the  de 
ceased  members.  Chaplain  Henry  Wheeler  being  un 
avoidably  absent,  had  sent  the  following  greetings  and 
memorials  which  were  read : 

Lieutenant  H.  G.  Bonebrake,  Secretary. 

My  Dear  Lieutenant  and  Comrade:  Your  invitation  to  be  with 
you  in  Gettysburg  at  a  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry  Association,  was  duly 
received,  and  I  very  much  regret  that  I  cannot  be  with  you  on  that 
occasion  on  account  of  positive  engagements  for  the  month  of  Oc 
tober,  when  I  will  be  in  Ohio. 

I  herewith  take  pleasure  in  sending  you,  and  through  you  to  all 
our  comrades  who  may  be  with  you,  on  the  occasion  of  the  reunion, 
my  brotherly  greetings  and  my  best  wishes  for  their  happiness  and 
welfare.  I  know  that  every  passing  year  diminishes  our  number, 
and  but  few  are  now  left  to  consummate  a  reunion,  as  the  majority 
have  now  passed  to  the  great  beyond.  Since  we  met  in  reunion  the 
last  time,  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel  William  Thompson  and  Colonel 
Coe  Durland  have  died,  and  many  others  whom  I  did  not  know  so 
well.  All  survivors  will  remember  Colonel  Thompson  as  a  brave 
and  energetic  soldier;  and  the  surviving  members  of  the  regiment 
and  our  posterity  will  accord  him  gratitude  in  that  he  was  one  of 
the  chief  agents  by  which  our  grand  monument  was  erected  to  the 
memory  of  those  who  gave  up  their  lives  for  the  honor  of  the  flag 
and  the  preservation  of  the  Union  in  the  mighty  struggle  at  Gettys 
burg. 

Colonel  Durland  died  suddenly,  in  Honesdale,  Pa.,  in  October, 
1908.  H.  P.  Moyer  and  I  were  at  his  funeral.  I  performed  the 
sad  duty  of  burying  him.  He  also  was  a  good  soldier  of  whose 
career  all  who  were  associated  with  him  were  proud.  At  the  time 
of  his  funeral  I  was  informed  that  in  action  on  the  field  he  had 

464 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

seven  horses  shot  under  him.  In  business  affairs  he  was  an  ex 
ample  of  integrity.  As  a  citizen  he  was  patriotic  and  loyal,  as  a 
soldier  brave,  a  devoted  husband  and  father,  and  in  him  we  surviv 
ors  have  lost  a  worthy  comrade  and  companion. 

Comrade  Ferree,  I  remember  well,  and  knew  him  up  to  recent 
years.  He  was  a  good  companionable  man  and  comrade.  His  pose 
in  granite  on  our  monument  will  outlast  us  all. 

A  few  years  ago  I  had  the  pleasure  and  the  honor  of  preaching 
to  our  comrades  in  Lebanon,  Pa.,  and  was  the  guest  of  Comrade 
H.  P.  Moyer.  Nine  of  our  comrades  of  the  Seventeenth  Regiment, 
Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  were  present.  I  very  much  en 
joyed  the  occasion  and  the  companionship  of  Comrade  Moyer  and 
his  family.  Those  whom  I  have  named  as  deceased  are  but  a  few 
of  hundreds  who  have  died,  and  but  few  are  left,  and  the  number 
is  lessening  with  every  passing  year. 

But,  comrades,  we  have  this  consolation,  as  a  rule  survivors  of 
the  Civil  War  are  highly  respected  in  every  community  where  their 
conduct  has  been  upright,  and  the  government  has  made  generous 
provision  for  the  support  of  the  needy.  Another  consolation  lies  in 
the  fact  that  what  we  fought  for  we  won.  Ours  was  not  and  is 
not  a  lost  cause.  We  fought  for  the  honor  of  the  flag;  the  flag  is 
now  honored  everywhere  and  a  number  of  stars  have  been  added  to 
the  field  of  blue.  We  fought  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union; 
that  the  greatest  Republic  the  world  ever  saw  should  not  be  a  fail 
ure;  that  the  noblest  effort  ever  made  by  man  toward  a  free  and 
independent  government,  untrammelled  by  monarchical  traditions, 
should  be  a  success ;  that,  "a  government  of  the  people,  by  the  people 
and  for  the  people  should  not  fail  from  the  earth."  All  this  we  have 
preserved  and  established. 

No  man  can  ever  be  called  upon  for  an  apology  for  our  war.  No 
participant  in  it  can  ever  be  taunted  for  its  failure,  and  thousands 
of  our  friends,  the  enemy  whom  we  conquered,  now  acknowledge 
their  error  and  thank  God  for  our  success.  Dear  comrades,  please 
accept  this  greeting  in  the  spirit  of  brotherliness  in  which  it  is 
written,  and  be  assured  that  I  shall  cherish  in  my  heart  a  fond  and 
an  affectionate  recollection  of  my  sojourn  with  you  as  your  chap 
lain. 

May  I  not  express  to  you  my  wish  and  prayer  to  God  that  every 
one  of  us  may  find  a  personal  Savior  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  that,  when 
the  last  battle  is  fought,  we  may  each  one  receive  from  him  a  wel 
come  and  a  crown. 

Sincerely  and  fraternally  yours, 

HENRY  WHEELER, 

Chaplain  Seventeenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry. 

465 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

At  this  period  of  the  meeting  the  following  telegram 
was  received  and  read. 

WASHINGTON,  D.  C,  OCT.  23,  1908. 

Secretary  Seventeenth   Pennsylvania  Cavalry  Association  Reunion, 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  Eagle  Hotel. 

COMRADES  :  I  extend  through  your  association  my  deepest  sym 
pathy  to  the  widow  and  daughters  of  our  late  comrade,  Lieutenant 
James  Albert  Clark,  late  adjutant  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania 
Cavalry  Regiment,  who  passed  away  on  the  i6th  of  October,  1908, 
and  was  buried  in  Arlington  Cemetery,  at  Washington. 

I  most  sincerely  regret  that  I  cannot  be  with  you  today.  In  F., 
C.  and  L.,  your  sister. 

(Signed)  ELIZABETH  B.  DONEHOO, 

Widow  of  the  late  Capt.  Henry  M.  Donehoo,  Company  B. 

Immediately  after  the  reading  of  the  telegram  the  busi 
ness  of  the  meeting  was  suspended  for  a  short  time  and 
the  entire  assemblage  arose  while  Rev.  H.  F.  Long,  of 
Company  I,  offered  a  most  fervent  prayer  in  memory  of 
our  departed  comrade.  Mr.  Miller  of  Gettysburg  sang 
with  good  effect  a  parody  on  "Just  Before  the  Battle, 
Mother"  accompanied  by  Miss  Jeanette  V.  Seiber  on  the 
piano.  A  number  of  reminiscences  were  given  by  comrades, 
which  were  greatly  enjoyed.  A  large  number  of  letters 
were  read  from  members  who  could  not  be  present. 

A  recess  was  then  taken  for  the  purpose  of  visiting,  in 
a  body,  Lieutenant  P.  J.  Tate,  a  resident  of  Gettysburg 
and  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  regimental  staff,  who  was 
now  an  invalid  and  unable  to  attend  the  reunion.  He  very 
highly  appreciated  the  visit. 

After  a  special  dinner  served  by  the  host  of  the  Eagle 
Hotel,  the  members  and  friends  were  driven  to  the  monu 
ment  of  the  regiment  in  charge  of  J.  E.  Pitzer,  where  he 
delivered  an  interesting  and  instructive  address  on  the 
first  day's  fight  of  the  battle.  Here  several  group  photo 
graphs  were  taken  of  the  party.  Special  interest  was  also 
manifested  in  a  visit  to  the-  Buford  monument  on  the 
Chambersburg  Pike  where,  on  the  morning  of  July  i,  1865, 
just  as  the  battle  opened,  General  Buford  looked  through 
his  field  glass  and  observed  the  first  approach  of  the  enemy, 

466 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

and,  under  his  personal  direction,  ordered  the  first  gun  to  be 
fired  from  Battery  B,  Second  U.  S.  A.  The  four  guns  of 
the  battery  form  the  base  of  the  Buford  monument,  and 
the  gun  firing  the  first  shot  of  the  battle  is  labeled  with  a 
brass  plate,  telling  of  the  incident.  The  monument  of  Gen 
eral  John  Reynolds,  who  fell  near  the  spot,  the  same  morn 
ing,  is  only  a  short  distance  from  that  of  General  Buford. 

The  Seventeenth  was  a  part  of  Buford's  division,  and 
held  the  right  of  the  line  in  the  attack  that  morning. 

The  occasion  was  voted  a  complete  success,  both  in  plea 
sure  and  interest.  Many  new  associations  were  formed  and 
old  ones  renewed  and  all  expressed  warmest  gratification 
that  they  were  present. 

Gettysburg,  Pa.,  September  17,  1909. 

A  reunion  of  the  surviving  members  of  the  regiment 
convened  in  the  parlors  of  the  Eagle  Hotel,  at  Gettysburg, 
Pa.,  September  17,  1909.  Colonel  E.  E.  Wood,  of  the 
United  States  Military  Academy  at  West  Point,  New  York, 
presided.  Hon.  Theodore  McAllister,  color  sergeant  of 
the  First  Maryland  Cavalry,  Potomac  Home  Brigade,  and 
a  member  of  Corporal  Skelly  Post  No.  9,  G.  A.  R.,  De 
partment  of  Pennsylvania,  delivered  the  address  of  wel 
come,  to  which  Colonel  Wool  responded  as  follows : 

"Mr.  McAllister  and  through  you  to  the  people  of  Gettys 
burg: 

''This  is  the  forty-third  annual  reunion  of  our  association, 
and  most  of  our  meetings  in  the  past  have  been  held  at  this 
historic  town.  The  cause  of  this  is  not  far  to  seek  when 
we  consider  the  different  sites  and  places  associated  with 
the  history  of  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry.  Or 
ganized  at  Harrisburg  and  that  site,  therefore,  its  first  place 
of  meeting;  thence  to  Washington  and  then  to  the  Rappa- 
hannock  and  to  the  Rapidan ;  then  to  the  Potomac  and  to 
Gettysburg;  back  to  the  Rapidan  and  through  the  Wilder 
ness  to  the  James ;  next  Winchester  and  the  fair  and  famed 
valley  of  Virginia;  thence  through  Charlottesville  back  to 
the  James  and  to  the  crowning  glory  of  Appomattox ;  then 

467 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

Petersburg,  Richmond,  and  Washington,  where  the  regi 
ment  passed  out  of  existence  as  an  organization,  but  not 
from  the  memory  and  hearts  of  its  members. 

"Many  of  these  places  could  well  be  our  meeting  ground, 
as  they  have  for  us  recollections  and  associations  both  as 
poignant  and  reverent.  But  in  none  of  these  places  are 
these  recollections  and  associations  so  soul-stirring  and  im 
pressive  as  in  this  town  of  world-wide  renown;  for  the 
name  of  Gettysburg  is  of  solemn  import,  its  memories  are 
deep  and  reverent,  and  its  site  is  almost  holy  ground. 

"For  here,  as  we  know,  was  the  supreme  conflict  of  our 
great  war;  here  it  was,  on  those  memorable  days  of  July, 
that  a  nation's  fate  was  trembling  in  the  balance;  here,  in 
the  clash  of  battle  and  with  the  loss  of  precious  lives,  it 
was  decreed  that  our  nation  should  have  a  new  birth  of 
freedom  and  that  our  government  should  not  perish  from 
the  earth. 

"On  the  Seventeenth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  which  did 
its  part  on  those  eventful  days,  those  feelings  and  memories 
act  with  redoubled  force  and  make  this  our  appropriate 
meeting  place.  Here  also  are  the  chiseled  features  of  a 
member  of  our  association  who  has  answered  to  his  last 
roll  call ;  here  also  lie  those  who  gave  up  their  lives  that  the 
nation  might  live,  and  where  as  we  meet  we  almost  feel 
their  unseen  presence  teaching  us  increased  devotion  to  our 
country  to  which  they  gave  the  last  full  measure  of  devo 
tion.  Sir,  those  memories  and  feelings  associated  with 
Gettysburg  draw  upon  our  very  heart-strings  and  lead  us 
back  both  with  reverence  and  with  gladness  to  meet  again 
at  this  historic  town. 

"Need  I  say,  sir,  how  much  our  feelings  of  reverent  glad 
ness  in  coming  together  here  and  in  meeting  our  comrades 
of  long  ago  are  heightened  by  the  welcome  you  have  ex 
tended  us;  a  welcome  doubly  heightened  by  the  kind  and 
eloquent  terms  you  have  used  in  greeting  us  so  cordially. 

"It  will  be  a  source  of  pride  and  satisfaction  to  us  all 
to  feel  that  we  have  been  so  cordially  and  so  eloquently 
welcomed. 

468 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

"Mr.  McAllister,  in  the  name  of  the  association  I  ex 
tend  to  you  our  most  sincere  and  hearty  thanks  for  the 
kind,  cordial,  and  eloquent  greeting  you  have  given  us  on 
behalf  of  the  people  of  Gettysburg." 

Thirty- four  members  of  the  regiment  answered  to  roll 
call.  A  large  number  of  communications  were  read  from 
members  who  could  not  be  present. 

The  afternoon  was  devoted  to  a  drive  to  the  monument 
and  other  points  of  interest  on  the  battlefield,  in  charge 
of  J.  E.  Pitzer,  who  delivered  several  interesting  lectures, 
explaining  some  of  the  most  important  engagements  of  the 
battle,  which  were  highly  appreciated  by  the  veterans  and 
their  friends. 

Another  meeting  was  held  in  the  parlors  of  the  Eagle 
Hotel  in  the  evening  when  the  regimental  historian  gave  a 
detailed  statement  of  the  progress  made  since  the  last  meet 
ing  in  securing  data  and  facts  for  the  regimental  history, 
and  made  a  strong  appeal  to  the  comrades  for  their  hearty 
co-operation.  The  following  committee  was  appointed  to 
assist  the  historian  in  the  compilation  and  publication  of  a 
regimental  history,  entitled.  "The  History  of  the  Seven 
teenth  Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,"  with 
power  to  act : 

Brigadier  General  E.  E.  Wood, 

Major  J.  W.  DeWitt, 

Captain  I.  N.  Grubb, 

Lieutenant  H.  G.  Bonebrake,       }-        Committee. 

Sergeant  J.  A.  Loose, 

Sergeant  Jos.  E.  McCabe, 

Sergeant  J.  C.  Jones. 

The  historian  submitted  a  list  of  engagements  in  which  the 
regiment  participated. 

Gettysburg,  Pa.,  September  26,  1910. 
A  reunion  of  the  survivors  of  the  regiment  was  held  at 
Gettysburg,  Pa.,  in  the  hall  of  Corporal  Skelly  Post  No. 
9,  G.  A.  R.,  Monday,  September  26,  1910.  In  the  absence 
of  the  president,  General  E.  E.  Wood,  the  Vice-president, 
Lieutenant  C.  H.  Gresh,  presided.  Comrade  John  H. 

469 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

Zinn  offered  an  invocation,  after  which  John  D.  Kieth, 
Esq.,  of  Gettysburg,  in  behalf  of  the  citizens  of  Gettys 
burg,  delivered  a  cordial  address  of  welcome.  The  presid 
ing  officer,  Lieutenant  Gresh,  made  an  appropriate  and  pa 
triotic  response.  Seventy-seven  members  answered  to  roll 
call.  Every  company  of  the  regiment  was  represented. 
There  were  also  fifty-eight  guests  present,  making  the  total 
number  present  one  hundred  and  thirty-five.  Excepting 
the  dedication  of  the  regimental  monument,  September 
n,  1889,  this  was  the  largest  reunion  the  regiment  has  had 
since  it  was  mustered  out  of  the  service.  Comrade  G.  F. 
Lidy,  of  Company  G,  read  a  fitting  obituary  on  the  deaths 
of  the  deceased  members,  which  was  adopted. 

Major  H.  P.  Moyer,  the  regimental  historian,  submitted 
a  somewhat  lengthy  report  of  the  manuscript  already  pre 
pared  for  the  contemplated  history,  and  made  a  strong  ap 
peal  for  additional  contributions.  The  members  and 
friends  present  expressed  warmest  approval  of  the  report, 
after  which  the  committee  on  regimental  history  made  the 
following  report: 

We,  your  committee  appointed  to  assist  the  historian  in 
the  compilation  of  a  regimental  history  of  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry,  beg  leave  to 
report  that,  since  the  last  reunion  of  the  regiment,  some 
three  hundred  pages  of  manuscript  for  the  history  have 
been  prepared.  The  manuscript  consists  chiefly  of  ex 
tracts  from  official  reports  from  corps,  division,  brigade 
and  regimental  commanders;  the  itinerary  of  the  regiment 
from  its  organization  to  the  date  of  its  muster  out;  and 
reminiscences  and  incidents  that  occurred  in  camp,  on  the 
march  and  on  the  battlefield,  contributed  by  members  of 
the  regiment.  Company  rosters  and  individual  service  re 
cords  have  been  tabulated  from  Pennsylvania's  great  war 
historian,  Samuel  P.  Bates,  author  of  "Pennsylvania  Vol 
unteers,  1861-1865,"  and  from  Brevet  Lieutenant-colonel 
Theodore  W.  Bean's  "Roll  of  Honor  of  the  Seventeenth 
Regiment,  Pennsylvania  Volunteer  Cavalry."  Thus  is  pre 
sented  as  reliable  and  authentic  a  record  of  the  regiment 

470 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

and  its  services  aS  can  be  obtained  at  this  late  date.     All 
of  which  is  respectfully  submitted. 

E.  E.  Wood, 

J.  W.  DeWitt, 

Isaac  N.  Grubb, 

Jacob  A.  Loose,  ^Committee. 

Henry  G.   Bonebrake, 

Joseph  E.  McCabe, 

Joseph  C.  Jones. 

The  committee's  report  was  unanimously  adopted  and  the 
following  resolutions  passed : 

Resolved,  That  the  manuscript  and  data  prepared  and  submitted 
by  the  historian,  Comrade  H.  P.  Moyer,  for  the  compilation  of  a 
regimental  history,  the  same  having  been  approved  by  the  historical 
committee,  be  and  the  same  is  hereby  approved. 

Resolved,  That  the  officers  and  the  committee  are  hereby  author 
ized  and  instructed  to  present  the  same,  together  with  such  additions 
and  amendments  as  the  historian  or  committee  may  deem  proper, 
to  the  Governor  of  the  Commonwealth,  the  Adjutant-general,  and 
the  Auditor-general  of  the  State,  and  to  proceed  with  the  publica 
tion  of  the  same. 

Sergeant  Joseph  E.  McCabe,  a  member  of  Company  A, 
who  served  as  one  of  General  P.  H.  Sheridan's  scouts, 
gave  a  very  interesting  address  on  his  experiences  and  ser 
vices  in  that  capacity.  He  produced  a  number  of  original 
passes,  telegrams,  letters  and  other  communications  he  had 
received  from  President  Abraham  Lincoln,  Hon.  Edwin 
M.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War,  General  P.  H.  Sheridan, 
and  other  men  of  high  rank.  He  also  exhibited  a  rare 
medal  of  honor  which  he  received  from  the  Secretary  of 
War  for  distinguished  services.  All  these  the  sergeant 
prizes  very  highly. 

Mrs.  E.  B.  Donehoo,  widow  of  Captain  H.  M.  Donehoo, 
of  Company  B,  read  a  paper  entitled  "Reminiscences 
of  the  Civil  War,"  setting  forth  how  she,  immediately  after 
the  battle  of  Gettysburg,  left  her  home  in  Pittsburg  and 
worked  her  way  to  Gettysburg  to  look  after  and  care  for 
the  sick  and  wounded,  (fearing  her  husband  was  one  of 

471 


REGIMENTAL  REUNIONS 

them,)  going  through  the  Confederate  lines,  enduring  hard 
ships  and  endangering  her  life.  A  vote  of  thanks  was 
tendered  her  as  an  appreciation  of  the  paper  read. 

G.  Frank  Lidy,  by  permission,  read  a  paper  entitled,  "An 
Historical  Account  of  General  R.  E.  Lee  Resigning  as  Col 
onel  in  the  United  States  Army  and  Accepting  a  Com 
mission  as  General-in-Chief  of  the  Confederate  States 
Army." 

A  resolution  was  unanimously  passed  requesting  Con 
gress  to  remove  the  statue  of  Major-general  R.  E.  Lee 
from  the  hall  of  fame  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

Gettysburg  was  selected  as  the  place  of  holding  the  next 
reunion.  After  adjournment  the  members  and  guests  pres 
ent  were  taken  in  conveyances  to  the  regimental  monument, 
in  charge  of  J.  E.  Pitzer,  where  he  delivered  an  instructive 
address  on  the  first  day's  engagement;  and  later,  to  the 
State  monument,  where  he  delivered  a  second  address,  re 
viewing  the  second  and  third  day's  engagements.  Before 
the  members  and  friends  separated  all  voted  this  to  have 
been  the  most  enjoyable  reunion  ever  held  by  the  asso 
ciation. 


472 


YD   12499 


.6 
1 7th 


839273 


